The answer is to use the ContinueUpdateRollback API with the ResourcesToSkip parameter. This is the most efficient approach because it allows you to halt the rollback process and preserve the stack’s current state, skipping only the specific resource that caused the failure while leaving the rest of the infrastructure intact. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of stack recovery mechanisms under incident pressure, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose to delete and rebuild the stack, which would destroy all resources and lose critical state data. A common memory tip is to think of “skip and save”—you skip the broken resource to save the rest of the stack, avoiding the nuclear option of a full deletion.
DOP-C02 Incident and Event Response Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of incident and event response. 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 uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a multi-tier web application. During an incident, the stack update fails with a 'ROLLBACK_IN_PROGRESS' status. The operations team needs to investigate the root cause quickly without losing the stack's current state. What is the MOST efficient approach?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the ContinueUpdateRollback API with the ResourcesToSkip parameter.
Option C is correct because using 'ContinueUpdateRollback' with the 'ResourcesToSkip' parameter allows skipping resources that caused the failure while preserving the stack. Option A is wrong because deleting the stack removes all resources. Option B is wrong because creating a new stack does not help investigate the current failure. Option D is wrong because manually fixing resources and retrying the update without rollback is risky; the stack is already in rollback.
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.
✗
Create a change set and execute it to see the changes.
Why it's wrong here
Change sets are for previewing changes, not for investigating rollback.
✗
Delete the stack and recreate it using the same template.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting loses the stack and does not aid investigation.
✗
Manually fix the resources and then retry the stack update.
Why it's wrong here
Manual fixes are not recommended; the stack is in rollback, not update.
✓
Use the ContinueUpdateRollback API with the ResourcesToSkip parameter.
Why this is correct
This allows continuing the rollback while skipping problematic resources.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the ContinueUpdateRollback API with the ResourcesToSkip parameter. — Option C is correct because using 'ContinueUpdateRollback' with the 'ResourcesToSkip' parameter allows skipping resources that caused the failure while preserving the stack. Option A is wrong because deleting the stack removes all resources. Option B is wrong because creating a new stack does not help investigate the current failure. Option D is wrong because manually fixing resources and retrying the update without rollback is risky; the stack is already in rollback.
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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Question Discussion
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