- A
AWS CloudFormation for bootstrapping and Amazon CloudWatch Events to enforce desired state
Why wrong: CloudFormation is for provisioning, not ongoing configuration management.
- B
AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate for configuration management and AWS CodeDeploy for deployments
Why wrong: OpsWorks is a viable option but typically overkill for simple configurations; the question asks for combination.
- C
AWS Systems Manager State Manager for desired state configuration and AWS Systems Manager Run Command for initial bootstrapping
State Manager maintains desired state, Run Command executes one-time scripts.
- D
AWS Config for configuration management and Amazon CloudWatch Events for remediation
Why wrong: AWS Config is for compliance auditing, not configuration management.
DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. 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 DevOps engineer is designing a configuration management strategy for a fleet of EC2 instances running Amazon Linux 2. The instances must be bootstrapped with custom software and continuously managed to ensure desired state compliance. Which combination of services should the engineer use?
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
AWS Systems Manager State Manager for desired state configuration and AWS Systems Manager Run Command for initial bootstrapping
Option C is correct because AWS Systems Manager State Manager provides a policy-driven mechanism to define and maintain desired state configuration for EC2 instances, while AWS Systems Manager Run Command enables ad-hoc or initial bootstrapping by executing scripts or commands (e.g., installing custom software) without requiring SSH. Together, they cover both the initial setup and ongoing compliance enforcement for Amazon Linux 2 instances, aligning with the requirement for continuous management.
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.
- ✗
AWS CloudFormation for bootstrapping and Amazon CloudWatch Events to enforce desired state
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation is for provisioning, not ongoing configuration management.
- ✗
AWS OpsWorks for Chef Automate for configuration management and AWS CodeDeploy for deployments
Why it's wrong here
OpsWorks is a viable option but typically overkill for simple configurations; the question asks for combination.
- ✓
AWS Systems Manager State Manager for desired state configuration and AWS Systems Manager Run Command for initial bootstrapping
Why this is correct
State Manager maintains desired state, Run Command executes one-time scripts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Config for configuration management and Amazon CloudWatch Events for remediation
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config is for compliance auditing, not configuration management.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Config (a compliance auditing service) with a configuration management tool, or assume CloudWatch Events can enforce state, when in fact Systems Manager State Manager is the native AWS service for desired state configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Systems Manager State Manager uses associations to define a desired configuration (e.g., software packages, firewall rules) and automatically applies it on a schedule or during instance startup, leveraging the SSM Agent to execute documents (e.g., AWS-RunShellScript or custom SSM documents). Run Command executes commands on instances via the SSM Agent without requiring SSH keys or bastion hosts, making it ideal for initial bootstrapping tasks like installing custom software from a repository. Under the hood, both services rely on the SSM Agent’s outbound HTTPS connection to the Systems Manager API, ensuring secure, agent-based management even in private subnets without internet access.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Systems Manager State Manager for desired state configuration and AWS Systems Manager Run Command for initial bootstrapping — Option C is correct because AWS Systems Manager State Manager provides a policy-driven mechanism to define and maintain desired state configuration for EC2 instances, while AWS Systems Manager Run Command enables ad-hoc or initial bootstrapping by executing scripts or commands (e.g., installing custom software) without requiring SSH. Together, they cover both the initial setup and ongoing compliance enforcement for Amazon Linux 2 instances, aligning with the requirement for continuous management.
What should I do if I get this DOP-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: Jun 24, 2026
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