← DVA-C02·Amazon Web Services

Question 193 of 1,616

Deployment →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the deployment fails because the service already has 4 tasks running, which is the maximum allowed by the deployment configuration. With a desired count of 2 and a maximum percent of 200%, Amazon ECS calculates the maximum tasks during a deployment as desired count multiplied by the maximum percent, equaling 4 tasks. When a previous deployment stalls or fails to complete, those extra tasks remain running, so the new deployment cannot launch any additional tasks and immediately fails with the "maximum number of tasks" error. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of ECS deployment parameters and how the maximum percent setting directly limits concurrent task counts. A common trap is confusing resource limits (like memory or CPU) with task count limits—the error message itself points to task count, not resource exhaustion. Remember the memory tip: "200% of 2 is 4—if you see 4, no more in store."

DVA-C02 Deployment Practice Question

This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.

A team uses AWS CodePipeline to deploy a microservices application to Amazon ECS. The pipeline has a Source stage (GitHub), a Build stage (CodeBuild), and a Deploy stage (ECS). During a deployment, the pipeline fails at the Deploy stage with the error: 'Action execution failed: Deployment failed. The service my-service has reached the maximum number of tasks.' The service is configured with a desired count of 2 and a maximum percent of 200%. What is the most likely cause of this failure?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Full question →

A
The task definition references a memory value that exceeds the available container instance memory.
Why wrong: Memory issues would cause task failures, not a maximum tasks error.
B
There are already 4 tasks running for the service, which is the maximum allowed by the deployment configuration.
The maximum percent of 200% allows up to 4 tasks (2 * 200%). If 4 tasks are already running, the new deployment cannot start more.
C
The service's minimum healthy percent is set too high, preventing new tasks from starting.
Why wrong: Minimum healthy percent affects the number of tasks that must remain healthy, not the maximum.
D
The pipeline is trying to deploy to an ECS cluster that has reached its Amazon EC2 instance limit.
Why wrong: Instance limits would cause a different error (e.g., insufficient capacity). The error is specific to the service's task count.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

There are already 4 tasks running for the service, which is the maximum allowed by the deployment configuration.

Option C is correct because the error indicates the service has reached the maximum number of tasks. With a desired count of 2 and maximum percent of 200%, ECS allows up to 4 tasks during deployment (2 * 200% = 4). If there are already 4 tasks running (e.g., due to a previous deployment that did not complete), the new deployment cannot start additional tasks. Option A is incorrect because insufficient memory would cause a different error (task failure). Option B is incorrect because the maximum percent is already set to 200%, which allows for rolling updates. Option D is incorrect because the pipeline is not related to EC2 instance limits; it uses Fargate or EC2 launch type, but the error is about task count.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The task definition references a memory value that exceeds the available container instance memory.
Why it's wrong here
Memory issues would cause task failures, not a maximum tasks error.
✓
There are already 4 tasks running for the service, which is the maximum allowed by the deployment configuration.
Why this is correct
The maximum percent of 200% allows up to 4 tasks (2 * 200%). If 4 tasks are already running, the new deployment cannot start more.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The service's minimum healthy percent is set too high, preventing new tasks from starting.
Why it's wrong here
Minimum healthy percent affects the number of tasks that must remain healthy, not the maximum.
✗
The pipeline is trying to deploy to an ECS cluster that has reached its Amazon EC2 instance limit.
Why it's wrong here
Instance limits would cause a different error (e.g., insufficient capacity). The error is specific to the service's task count.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

Underline the problem statement mentally.
Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.

Key takeaway

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DVA-C02 question test?

Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: There are already 4 tasks running for the service, which is the maximum allowed by the deployment configuration. — Option C is correct because the error indicates the service has reached the maximum number of tasks. With a desired count of 2 and maximum percent of 200%, ECS allows up to 4 tasks during deployment (2 * 200% = 4). If there are already 4 tasks running (e.g., due to a previous deployment that did not complete), the new deployment cannot start additional tasks. Option A is incorrect because insufficient memory would cause a different error (task failure). Option B is incorrect because the maximum percent is already set to 200%, which allows for rolling updates. Option D is incorrect because the pipeline is not related to EC2 instance limits; it uses Fargate or EC2 launch type, but the error is about task count.

What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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This DVA-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DVA-C02 exam.