DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question
A company uses AWS Systems Manager to manage its EC2 instances at scale. The DevOps team wants to ensure that all instances are patched with the latest security updates. Which Systems Manager capability should they use to automate patching?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Patch Manager with State Manager because both can enforce desired states, but State Manager lacks the patching-specific logic and patch baseline integration that Patch Manager provides.
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
✓
Patch Manager
Patch Manager is the correct choice because it is the dedicated AWS Systems Manager capability designed to automate the process of patching managed instances with security updates and other types of updates. It uses patch baselines to define which patches should be installed and can schedule patching on a recurring basis, ensuring compliance across the EC2 fleet.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Run Command
Why it's wrong here
Run Command executes an SSM document against one or more EC2 instances on demand, so while you could invoke a patch installation script, it provides no native mechanism for patch baselines, maintenance windows, or recurring patch schedules. This makes it suitable for one-off commands or troubleshooting, not for automating an ongoing patching process.
- ✓
Patch Manager
Why this is correct
Patch Manager is the dedicated Systems Manager capability for automating the entire patching workflow, including scan and install operations using patch baselines, and it integrates with maintenance windows for controlled deployments. It also generates patch compliance data that can be queried across your fleet, which is exactly what is required when you need to keep EC2 instances patched automatically.
- ✗
Automation
Why it's wrong here
Automation provides workflows (runbooks) that can perform actions like patching, but it is a general-purpose orchestration engine, not a purpose-built patching solution. To use it for patching you must create runbooks, set up parameters, and manage the workflow yourself, whereas Patch Manager provides a managed, opinionated service with built-in patch baselines and compliance reporting.
- ✗
State Manager
Why it's wrong here
State Manager is used to define and maintain a consistent configuration state for instances, such as ensuring particular software is installed or services are running, and it can run actions on a schedule. Although you could schedule a patch command through State Manager, it is not designed for OS patching specifically and lacks the patch baseline and compliance features that Patch Manager offers.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.