- A
Use the direct update option with a template.
Why wrong: Direct update applies changes immediately without preview.
- B
Create a change set and review the changes before executing it.
Change sets show which resources will be replaced, allowing you to avoid replacement.
- C
Use the 'Force rollback' option to ensure no replacement.
Why wrong: Force rollback does not prevent replacement; it rolls back if the update fails.
- D
Use the 'Preserve stack settings' option when updating the stack.
Why wrong: No such option exists in CloudFormation.
Question 73 of 1,616
Update CloudFormation Stack Only When No Resource Replacement
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 manage its infrastructure. The developer wants to update a stack but only if the update does not cause any resource replacement. Which CloudFormation stack update option 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
✓
Create a change set and review the changes before executing it.
Option B is correct because a change set allows you to preview the changes that CloudFormation will make to your stack, including whether any resources will be replaced. By reviewing the change set, you can see if any resource replacement is listed and choose not to execute it if you want to avoid replacements. This gives you full control to update the stack only when no replacements are required.
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 the direct update option with a template.
Why it's wrong here
Direct update applies changes immediately without preview.
- ✓
Create a change set and review the changes before executing it.
Why this is correct
Change sets show which resources will be replaced, allowing you to avoid replacement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the 'Force rollback' option to ensure no replacement.
Why it's wrong here
Force rollback does not prevent replacement; it rolls back if the update fails.
- ✗
Use the 'Preserve stack settings' option when updating the stack.
Why it's wrong here
No such option exists in CloudFormation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse change sets with direct updates, thinking that direct updates also provide a preview, or they may invent fictional options like 'Force rollback' or 'Preserve stack settings' that sound plausible but are not part of the CloudFormation service.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudFormation change sets use a dry-run mechanism that compares the current stack template and parameters with the proposed update, generating a list of resource changes categorized as 'Modify', 'Replace', or 'Add/Remove'. Under the hood, this leverages the same resource evaluation logic as a direct update but without executing any API calls to modify resources. In real-world scenarios, change sets are critical for production stacks where resource replacement (e.g., an RDS instance or EC2 with a physical ID) could cause data loss or downtime, allowing teams to validate changes before committing.
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.
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?
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: Create a change set and review the changes before executing it. — Option B is correct because a change set allows you to preview the changes that CloudFormation will make to your stack, including whether any resources will be replaced. By reviewing the change set, you can see if any resource replacement is listed and choose not to execute it if you want to avoid replacements. This gives you full control to update the stack only when no replacements are required.
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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