- A
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instance to get 1-minute metrics.
Why wrong: Detailed monitoring is not required; 5-minute evaluation period works with basic monitoring.
- B
Configure an Amazon SNS topic and subscribe the team's email address to it, then set the alarm to send notifications to the SNS topic.
SNS provides the notification channel for the alarm.
- C
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the CPUUtilization metric with a threshold of 90% and an evaluation period of 5 consecutive minutes.
A CloudWatch alarm monitors the metric and triggers an action when the condition is met.
- D
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter to count CPU utilization errors.
Why wrong: Metric filters are for log data, not EC2 metrics.
- E
Create a CloudWatch dashboard to visualize CPU utilization.
Why wrong: A dashboard is for visualization, not for triggering notifications.
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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 is using Amazon CloudWatch to monitor a production environment. The DevOps team wants to receive notifications when the CPU utilization of an EC2 instance exceeds 90% for 5 consecutive minutes. Which TWO steps should the team take to achieve this? (Choose TWO.)
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 an Amazon SNS topic and subscribe the team's email address to it, then set the alarm to send notifications to the SNS topic.
Option A (Create a CloudWatch alarm) and Option C (Configure an SNS topic) are correct. A CloudWatch alarm monitors the metric and triggers an action (e.g., SNS notification) when the condition is met. Option B (Create a CloudWatch dashboard) is for visualization, not notification. Option D (Enable detailed monitoring) is not required for this alarm; basic monitoring (5-minute) is sufficient for 5-minute evaluation periods. Option E (Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter) is for logs, not EC2 metrics.
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.
- ✗
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instance to get 1-minute metrics.
Why it's wrong here
Detailed monitoring is not required; 5-minute evaluation period works with basic monitoring.
- ✓
Configure an Amazon SNS topic and subscribe the team's email address to it, then set the alarm to send notifications to the SNS topic.
Why this is correct
SNS provides the notification channel for the alarm.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the CPUUtilization metric with a threshold of 90% and an evaluation period of 5 consecutive minutes.
Why this is correct
A CloudWatch alarm monitors the metric and triggers an action when the condition is met.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter to count CPU utilization errors.
Why it's wrong here
Metric filters are for log data, not EC2 metrics.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch dashboard to visualize CPU utilization.
Why it's wrong here
A dashboard is for visualization, not for triggering notifications.
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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Monitoring and Logging — study guide chapter
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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 an Amazon SNS topic and subscribe the team's email address to it, then set the alarm to send notifications to the SNS topic. — Option A (Create a CloudWatch alarm) and Option C (Configure an SNS topic) are correct. A CloudWatch alarm monitors the metric and triggers an action (e.g., SNS notification) when the condition is met. Option B (Create a CloudWatch dashboard) is for visualization, not notification. Option D (Enable detailed monitoring) is not required for this alarm; basic monitoring (5-minute) is sufficient for 5-minute evaluation periods. Option E (Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter) is for logs, not EC2 metrics.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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