- A
Schedule a cron job on each instance to check and apply patches daily.
Why wrong: Cron is not real-time and may not run immediately when instance joins.
- B
Use Chef recipes in a custom OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event.
Chef recipes in Setup run on every new instance added to the layer.
- C
Configure user data scripts in the launch configuration.
Why wrong: User data runs once at launch, but not on subsequent starts.
- D
SSH into each instance and run the commands manually.
Why wrong: Manual process is not efficient or scalable.
Question 963 of 1,750
Configuring New EC2 Instances with OpsWorks Setup Lifecycle
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. 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 AWS OpsWorks for configuration management. They want to ensure that whenever a new instance is added to a layer, it automatically installs the latest security patches and joins a central logging system. What is the most efficient way to achieve this?
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
✓
Use Chef recipes in a custom OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event.
Option B is correct because Chef recipes in an OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event run automatically on every new instance added to the layer, ensuring patching and log configuration are applied consistently. Option A is wrong because a cron job runs on a schedule rather than immediately upon instance launch, and it requires managing the cron job separately on each instance, making it less efficient. Option C is wrong because user data scripts only execute during initial launch and do not run when an instance is stopped and started again, nor are they integrated with OpsWorks lifecycle events. Option D is wrong because manual SSH is not automated or scalable.
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.
- ✗
Schedule a cron job on each instance to check and apply patches daily.
Why it's wrong here
Cron is not real-time and may not run immediately when instance joins.
- ✓
Use Chef recipes in a custom OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event.
Why this is correct
Chef recipes in Setup run on every new instance added to the layer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure user data scripts in the launch configuration.
Why it's wrong here
User data runs once at launch, but not on subsequent starts.
- ✗
SSH into each instance and run the commands manually.
Why it's wrong here
Manual process is not efficient or scalable.
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 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 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.
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Configuration Management and IaC — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Chef recipes in a custom OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event. — Option B is correct because Chef recipes in an OpsWorks layer's Setup lifecycle event run automatically on every new instance added to the layer, ensuring patching and log configuration are applied consistently. Option A is wrong because a cron job runs on a schedule rather than immediately upon instance launch, and it requires managing the cron job separately on each instance, making it less efficient. Option C is wrong because user data scripts only execute during initial launch and do not run when an instance is stopped and started again, nor are they integrated with OpsWorks lifecycle events. Option D is wrong because manual SSH is not automated or scalable.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on DOP-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS OpsWorks for configuration management. They have a stack with a layer that includes several EC2 instances. The DevOps engineer needs to deploy a custom configuration file to all instances in the layer. What is the recommended approach?
medium- A.Use custom JSON in the stack settings to specify the file content
- ✓ B.Create a custom Chef recipe and assign it to the layer's lifecycle events
- C.Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to copy the file
- D.Add the file to the instance's user data script
Why B: AWS OpsWorks is a configuration management service that uses Chef. The recommended approach to deploy custom configuration files to all instances in a layer is to create a custom Chef recipe and assign it to the layer's lifecycle events (e.g., Setup, Configure, Deploy, or Shutdown). This ensures the recipe runs automatically on every instance in the layer at the appropriate stage of the instance lifecycle, providing a consistent and idempotent deployment method.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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