Quick Answer
The answer is that the alarm has not yet evaluated enough low datapoints to change state. This occurs because the CloudWatch alarm is configured with an EvaluationPeriods of 1 and a DatapointsToAlarm of 1, meaning it transitions to ALARM after a single high CPU datapoint, but it requires multiple consecutive low datapoints to return to OK—a common misunderstanding when a CloudWatch alarm stays in alarm after CPU drops. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your grasp of alarm state transitions and the distinction between evaluation periods and datapoints; a frequent trap is assuming the alarm clears instantly when the metric falls below the threshold. Remember the memory tip: "One spike alarms, but many lows calm"—the alarm needs sustained low values to flip back, not just a single drop.
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of incident and event response. 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 observes the CloudWatch alarm output shown in the exhibit. The alarm is in ALARM state for instance i-0abcd1234efgh5678. The engineer checks the EC2 console and sees that the instance's CPU utilization is currently 10%. What is the MOST likely explanation?
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.
The alarm is misconfigured with wrong metric
Why wrong: Metric is correct.
The threshold was set too low
Why wrong: Threshold is 90%, spike reached 100%.
The alarm has not yet evaluated enough low datapoints to change state
Alarm remains ALARM until it evaluates consecutive OK datapoints.
The CPUUtilization metric is not being emitted
Why wrong: The alarm shows a datapoint of 100.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The alarm has not yet evaluated enough low datapoints to change state
Option D is correct because the alarm evaluated only 1 datapoint (EvaluationPeriods=1) and the CPU spiked to 100% at 09:55, triggering the alarm. It has since dropped, but the alarm state persists until manually reset or until it transitions to OK after enough low datapoints. Option A is wrong because the metric exists. Option B is wrong because the threshold is 90%. Option C is wrong because the alarm is correctly configured.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The alarm is misconfigured with wrong metric
Why it's wrong here
Metric is correct.
The threshold was set too low
Why it's wrong here
Threshold is 90%, spike reached 100%.
The alarm has not yet evaluated enough low datapoints to change state
Why this is correct
Alarm remains ALARM until it evaluates consecutive OK datapoints.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
The CPUUtilization metric is not being emitted
Why it's wrong here
The alarm shows a datapoint of 100.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The alarm shows a datapoint of 100.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
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. NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated. 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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Incident and Event Response — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: The alarm has not yet evaluated enough low datapoints to change state — Option D is correct because the alarm evaluated only 1 datapoint (EvaluationPeriods=1) and the CPU spiked to 100% at 09:55, triggering the alarm. It has since dropped, but the alarm state persists until manually reset or until it transitions to OK after enough low datapoints. Option A is wrong because the metric exists. Option B is wrong because the threshold is 90%. Option C is wrong because the alarm is correctly configured.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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