This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of sdlc automation. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer sees the following error when trying to update a CloudFormation stack: 'Stack [arn:aws:cloudformation:us-west-2:123456789012:stack/MyStack/abc123] is in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state and can not be updated.' What should the engineer do to proceed?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Delete the stack and create a new one with the updated template.
When a CloudFormation stack reaches the ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state, it means the stack creation or update failed and the rollback has finished, leaving the stack in a terminal state. CloudFormation does not allow updates or rollback continuation on stacks in this state. The only supported action is to delete the stack and create a new one with the corrected template, as stated in the AWS documentation.
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.
✗
Run 'aws cloudformation continue-update-rollback' to finish the rollback and then update.
Why it's wrong here
That command is for stacks stuck in UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED, not ROLLBACK_COMPLETE.
✗
Modify the stack's template and try the update again.
Why it's wrong here
Cannot update a stack in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state.
✗
Use the 'aws cloudformation resume-update' command to resume the update.
Why it's wrong here
No such command exists.
✓
Delete the stack and create a new one with the updated template.
Why this is correct
A stack in ROLLBACK_COMPLETE must be deleted and recreated.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse ROLLBACK_COMPLETE with ROLLBACK_IN_PROGRESS or UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED, assuming they can resume or continue the rollback, but AWS explicitly prevents any operation on a stack in a terminal rollback state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
That command is for stacks stuck in UPDATE_ROLLBACK_FAILED, not ROLLBACK_COMPLETE.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, CloudFormation tracks stack states as a finite state machine. ROLLBACK_COMPLETE is a terminal state, meaning no further transitions (update, rollback, or resume) are possible without deleting the stack. This design prevents inconsistent infrastructure states and ensures that failed stacks are fully cleaned up before a fresh deployment. In real-world scenarios, this often occurs due to resource creation failures (e.g., insufficient IAM permissions or quota limits), requiring the engineer to delete the stack, fix the root cause, and redeploy.
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.
SDLC Automation — This question tests SDLC Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Delete the stack and create a new one with the updated template. — When a CloudFormation stack reaches the ROLLBACK_COMPLETE state, it means the stack creation or update failed and the rollback has finished, leaving the stack in a terminal state. CloudFormation does not allow updates or rollback continuation on stacks in this state. The only supported action is to delete the stack and create a new one with the corrected template, as stated in the AWS documentation.
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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Question Discussion
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