- A
Use Fn::GetAtt to retrieve the IDs from the other stack's resources.
Why wrong: GetAtt works only within the same stack.
- B
Use Fn::ImportValue to import the exported outputs from the other stack.
ImportValue is designed for cross-stack references.
- C
Use a nested stack to include the security group resources in the same template.
Why wrong: Possible but not the best practice for separation.
- D
Use Fn::Ref to reference the security group IDs directly.
Why wrong: Ref returns a physical ID, but not from another stack.
Question 283 of 1,616
How to Use Fn::ImportValue for Cross-Stack Outputs
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy infrastructure. The developer needs to pass a list of security group IDs to an EC2 instance launch configuration. The security groups are created in another stack. How should the developer obtain the security group IDs?
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
✓
Use Fn::ImportValue to import the exported outputs from the other stack.
Option B is correct because Fn::ImportValue is designed to retrieve exported outputs from another CloudFormation stack. When security groups are created in a separate stack, the developer must export their IDs using the Export field in the Outputs section of that stack, and then use Fn::ImportValue in the current stack to reference those exported values. This is the standard cross-stack reference mechanism in CloudFormation, enabling decoupled infrastructure management.
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.
- ✗
Use Fn::GetAtt to retrieve the IDs from the other stack's resources.
Why it's wrong here
GetAtt works only within the same stack.
- ✓
Use Fn::ImportValue to import the exported outputs from the other stack.
Why this is correct
ImportValue is designed for cross-stack references.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a nested stack to include the security group resources in the same template.
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not the best practice for separation.
- ✗
Use Fn::Ref to reference the security group IDs directly.
Why it's wrong here
Ref returns a physical ID, but not from another stack.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Fn::GetAtt and Fn::ImportValue, mistakenly thinking that GetAtt can retrieve attributes across stacks, when in fact it is strictly intra-stack, while ImportValue is the only native CloudFormation function for cross-stack references.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Fn::ImportValue works by reading the Outputs section of the source stack that has been exported with a unique name (using the Export field). CloudFormation maintains a per-account, per-region registry of exported outputs, and Fn::ImportValue performs a lookup in that registry at deployment time. A subtle behavior is that if the exporting stack is deleted, any stack importing its outputs will fail on subsequent updates or deletions, requiring careful dependency management.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Fn::ImportValue to import the exported outputs from the other stack. — Option B is correct because Fn::ImportValue is designed to retrieve exported outputs from another CloudFormation stack. When security groups are created in a separate stack, the developer must export their IDs using the Export field in the Outputs section of that stack, and then use Fn::ImportValue in the current stack to reference those exported values. This is the standard cross-stack reference mechanism in CloudFormation, enabling decoupled infrastructure management.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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