- A
Add a stack policy to the CloudFormation stack to prevent updates.
Why wrong: A stack policy restricts updates but does not enable rollback.
- B
Set the deployment to use AWS CodeDeploy and enable rollback.
Why wrong: CodeDeploy is not used for CloudFormation deployments.
- C
Configure a manual approval action in the pipeline to trigger a rollback.
Why wrong: Manual approval does not trigger automatic rollback.
- D
Configure the CloudFormation stack to roll back on failure using the RollbackConfiguration.
CloudFormation can automatically roll back a failed update.
Automatic CloudFormation Stack Rollback on Update Failure
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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 developer is using AWS CodePipeline to deploy a serverless application. The pipeline has a source stage (CodeCommit), a build stage (CodeBuild), and a deploy stage (CloudFormation). The developer wants to automatically roll back the deployment if the CloudFormation stack update fails. Which configuration should be used?
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
Configure the CloudFormation stack to roll back on failure using the RollbackConfiguration.
Option D is correct because CloudFormation natively supports automatic rollback on stack update failure through the `RollbackConfiguration` property. When a stack update fails, CloudFormation can automatically revert to the last known good state, which is exactly what the developer needs for a serverless deployment pipeline. This configuration can be set in the CloudFormation template or passed as a parameter during the deploy action in CodePipeline.
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.
- ✗
Add a stack policy to the CloudFormation stack to prevent updates.
Why it's wrong here
A stack policy restricts updates but does not enable rollback.
- ✗
Set the deployment to use AWS CodeDeploy and enable rollback.
Why it's wrong here
CodeDeploy is not used for CloudFormation deployments.
- ✗
Configure a manual approval action in the pipeline to trigger a rollback.
Why it's wrong here
Manual approval does not trigger automatic rollback.
- ✓
Configure the CloudFormation stack to roll back on failure using the RollbackConfiguration.
Why this is correct
CloudFormation can automatically roll back a failed update.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse CloudFormation's built-in rollback capability with external services like CodeDeploy, or assume that manual approval is required for rollback, when in fact CloudFormation can handle it automatically via `RollbackConfiguration`.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `RollbackConfiguration` in CloudFormation allows you to specify a monitoring time and a list of CloudWatch alarms; if an alarm triggers during the stack update, CloudFormation automatically rolls back the changes. This is particularly useful in serverless applications where a failed deployment could leave the stack in a partial state, and automatic rollback ensures consistency without manual intervention. Under the hood, CloudFormation uses the `RollbackTriggers` property to monitor alarms and execute the rollback within the specified monitoring time (e.g., 300 seconds).
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 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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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: Configure the CloudFormation stack to roll back on failure using the RollbackConfiguration. — Option D is correct because CloudFormation natively supports automatic rollback on stack update failure through the `RollbackConfiguration` property. When a stack update fails, CloudFormation can automatically revert to the last known good state, which is exactly what the developer needs for a serverless deployment pipeline. This configuration can be set in the CloudFormation template or passed as a parameter during the deploy action in CodePipeline.
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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