The answer is that the IAM user executing the command lacks the 'cloudwatch:GetMetricStatistics' permission. This is the most likely reason because even with basic monitoring enabled, which publishes CPUUtilization data every five minutes, the AWS CLI call will silently return empty data points rather than an explicit access denied error if the caller’s IAM policy does not include the required action. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that CloudWatch API calls are permission-gated independently of metric availability; a common trap is assuming missing data means a configuration or syntax issue when the real culprit is an incomplete IAM policy. Remember the memory tip: “No data, no error? Check the policy, not the period.”
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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.
Network Topology
A DevOps engineer runs the command above to retrieve CPU utilization for an EC2 instance, but gets no data points. The instance is running and has basic monitoring enabled. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The IAM user executing the command lacks 'cloudwatch:GetMetricStatistics' permission.
Option A is correct because basic monitoring publishes metrics every 5 minutes (300 seconds), so a period of 300 seconds should work. However, the command may fail due to insufficient permissions. Option B is wrong because basic monitoring does publish CPUUtilization. Option C is wrong because the period matches the default 5-minute interval. Option D is wrong because the command syntax is correct.
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.
✗
The dimension name should be 'InstanceId' with a different case.
Why it's wrong here
The dimension name is correct.
✗
The instance has basic monitoring disabled.
Why it's wrong here
Basic monitoring is enabled by default.
✗
The period of 300 seconds is less than the minimum supported period.
Why it's wrong here
300 seconds is the minimum for basic monitoring.
✓
The IAM user executing the command lacks 'cloudwatch:GetMetricStatistics' permission.
Why this is correct
Without the proper permission, the API call returns no data.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
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: The IAM user executing the command lacks 'cloudwatch:GetMetricStatistics' permission. — Option A is correct because basic monitoring publishes metrics every 5 minutes (300 seconds), so a period of 300 seconds should work. However, the command may fail due to insufficient permissions. Option B is wrong because basic monitoring does publish CPUUtilization. Option C is wrong because the period matches the default 5-minute interval. Option D is wrong because the command syntax is correct.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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