- A
Enable VPC Flow Logs for the instance's subnet.
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not instance metrics.
- B
Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances.
The CloudWatch Agent collects custom metrics including memory and disk utilization.
- C
Send the metrics to CloudWatch Logs and create a metric filter.
Why wrong: Metric filters work on log data, not on system metrics directly.
- D
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instances.
Why wrong: Detailed monitoring increases frequency of existing metrics, but does not add new metrics like memory.
Question 463 of 1,750
Collecting Custom Metrics from EC2 with CloudWatch Agent
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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 company uses Amazon CloudWatch to monitor its EC2 instances. A DevOps engineer notices that some metrics (e.g., memory utilization) are not available in the CloudWatch console. The engineer wants to collect these metrics. What should the engineer do?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances.
The correct answer is B: Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances. By default, EC2 only reports basic metrics like CPU and network. To collect custom metrics such as memory utilization, you must install the CloudWatch Agent, which can collect custom metrics and send them to CloudWatch. Option A is incorrect because enabling VPC Flow Logs captures network traffic logs, not instance-level metrics. Option C is incorrect because while you can create metric filters from CloudWatch Logs, that requires the agent to first send logs to CloudWatch Logs; the direct method to collect memory metrics is via the CloudWatch Agent. Option D is incorrect because detailed monitoring only increases the frequency of existing metrics (e.g., CPU) but does not enable new metrics like memory.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable VPC Flow Logs for the instance's subnet.
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not instance metrics.
- ✓
Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances.
Why this is correct
The CloudWatch Agent collects custom metrics including memory and disk utilization.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✗
Send the metrics to CloudWatch Logs and create a metric filter.
Why it's wrong here
Metric filters work on log data, not on system metrics directly.
- ✗
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instances.
Why it's wrong here
Detailed monitoring increases frequency of existing metrics, but does not add new metrics like memory.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related DOP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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Monitoring and Logging — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Monitoring and Logging practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Monitoring and Logging — This question tests Monitoring and Logging — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances. — The correct answer is B: Install and configure the CloudWatch Agent on the EC2 instances. By default, EC2 only reports basic metrics like CPU and network. To collect custom metrics such as memory utilization, you must install the CloudWatch Agent, which can collect custom metrics and send them to CloudWatch. Option A is incorrect because enabling VPC Flow Logs captures network traffic logs, not instance-level metrics. Option C is incorrect because while you can create metric filters from CloudWatch Logs, that requires the agent to first send logs to CloudWatch Logs; the direct method to collect memory metrics is via the CloudWatch Agent. Option D is incorrect because detailed monitoring only increases the frequency of existing metrics (e.g., CPU) but does not enable new metrics like memory.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related DOP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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