The answer is to use a stack policy that denies update actions on resources that should be preserved. This is correct because a CloudFormation stack policy acts as a resource-level firewall, explicitly denying update, replace, or delete actions on critical resources during a stack update. When a stack update fails and triggers an automatic rollback, CloudFormation attempts to revert all changes; however, by setting a Deny policy on specific resources, you prevent the rollback from touching those successfully created components, effectively preserving them while the rest of the stack reverts. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that stack policies control update permissions, not rollback behavior—a common trap is confusing RollbackConfiguration (which only sets monitoring intervals) with a stack policy. Remember the memory tip: “Deny to keep, allow to change”—if you want to preserve resources during a rollback, deny updates on them in the stack policy.
DOP-C02 Resilient Cloud Solutions Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of resilient cloud solutions. 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 infrastructure. They want to ensure that if a stack update fails, the stack is automatically rolled back to the last known good state. However, they also want to preserve any resources that were created successfully before the failure. Which CloudFormation stack policy should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a stack policy that denies update actions on resources that should be preserved.
Option C is correct because setting a stack policy that denies updates on specific resources can protect those resources during rollback. Option A is wrong because RollbackConfiguration is not a stack policy. Option B is wrong because stack policies define allowed actions, not rollback behavior. Option D is wrong because stack policies are not tied to creation time.
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.
✗
Define a creation policy with a resource signal.
Why it's wrong here
CreationPolicy is for waiting on signals, not preservation.
✓
Use a stack policy that denies update actions on resources that should be preserved.
Why this is correct
Stack policies can prevent modification of critical resources during stack updates.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a stack policy that allows all actions except delete.
Why it's wrong here
This does not preserve resources created during the update.
✗
Set the RollbackConfiguration property with a monitoring time.
Why it's wrong here
RollbackConfiguration is a property of the stack, not a policy.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
Resilient Cloud Solutions — This question tests Resilient Cloud Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a stack policy that denies update actions on resources that should be preserved. — Option C is correct because setting a stack policy that denies updates on specific resources can protect those resources during rollback. Option A is wrong because RollbackConfiguration is not a stack policy. Option B is wrong because stack policies define allowed actions, not rollback behavior. Option D is wrong because stack policies are not tied to creation time.
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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