- A
Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to run queries on the task logs to identify the cause of high memory.
Why wrong: This is for analysis, not for automatic response.
- B
Create a CloudWatch Events rule that triggers an AWS Lambda function to restart the tasks when the alarm state changes.
Why wrong: While possible, using the alarm directly for Auto Scaling action is simpler and more appropriate.
- C
Configure the CloudWatch alarm to trigger an Auto Scaling action that increases the desired count of the service to replace failing tasks.
This allows the alarm to directly trigger a scaling action to replace tasks when memory is high.
- D
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log all ECS API calls to audit the task failures.
Why wrong: CloudTrail is for auditing, not for automated response to high memory.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure the CloudWatch alarm to trigger an Auto Scaling action that increases the desired count of the ECS Fargate service. This is correct because the CloudWatch alarm on the MemoryUtilized metric, once it crosses the 80% threshold for five minutes, can directly invoke an Auto Scaling policy for the ECS service, which will launch new tasks to replace the failing ones and reduce memory pressure. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how CloudWatch alarms integrate with Application Auto Scaling for ECS services, a common pattern for proactive monitoring and automated response. A frequent trap is confusing this with EventBridge or Lambda, but the alarm itself can be the trigger for the scaling action without additional services. Memory tip: "Alarm to Scale" — if the alarm already exists, attach the scaling action directly to it, not to a separate event rule.
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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 company has a microservices architecture running on Amazon ECS with Fargate. The operations team uses Amazon CloudWatch Container Insights to monitor the cluster. They notice that one of the services is experiencing high memory utilization, causing occasional task failures. The team wants to set up proactive monitoring to receive alerts when memory utilization exceeds 80% for more than 5 minutes. They also want to automate the response by replacing the failing tasks. The team has already created a CloudWatch alarm on the MemoryUtilized metric. Which additional steps should the team take to achieve the desired proactive monitoring and automated response?
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 CloudWatch alarm to trigger an Auto Scaling action that increases the desired count of the service to replace failing tasks.
Option A is correct because a CloudWatch Alarm can trigger an Auto Scaling action to replace tasks. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Events (now EventBridge) can trigger Lambda, but the alarm already exists; the action should be on the alarm. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs Insights is for querying logs, not for automated response. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail is for auditing API calls, not for automation.
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 CloudWatch Logs Insights to run queries on the task logs to identify the cause of high memory.
Why it's wrong here
This is for analysis, not for automatic response.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch Events rule that triggers an AWS Lambda function to restart the tasks when the alarm state changes.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, using the alarm directly for Auto Scaling action is simpler and more appropriate.
- ✓
Configure the CloudWatch alarm to trigger an Auto Scaling action that increases the desired count of the service to replace failing tasks.
Why this is correct
This allows the alarm to directly trigger a scaling action to replace tasks when memory is high.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable AWS CloudTrail to log all ECS API calls to audit the task failures.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail is for auditing, not for automated response to high memory.
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 DOP-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 DOP-C02 question test?
Monitoring and Logging — This question tests Monitoring and Logging — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the CloudWatch alarm to trigger an Auto Scaling action that increases the desired count of the service to replace failing tasks. — Option A is correct because a CloudWatch Alarm can trigger an Auto Scaling action to replace tasks. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Events (now EventBridge) can trigger Lambda, but the alarm already exists; the action should be on the alarm. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs Insights is for querying logs, not for automated response. Option D is wrong because CloudTrail is for auditing API calls, not for automation.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DOP-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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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