Quick Answer
The answer is AWS X-Ray and Amazon CloudWatch. X-Ray provides end-to-end tracing for serverless applications, capturing latency across Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB to pinpoint performance bottlenecks, while CloudWatch collects metrics like invocation errors, duration, and throttles, and can trigger alarms based on those metrics. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of monitoring serverless architectures holistically—CloudWatch for operational health and X-Ray for distributed request-level analysis. A common trap is choosing CloudTrail, which logs API calls but not latency, or GuardDuty, which focuses on security threats. Remember the memory tip: “Metrics for health, traces for speed”—CloudWatch gives you the numbers, X-Ray shows you the path.
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 is designing an incident response plan for a serverless application using AWS Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB. Which TWO services should be used to monitor and alert on errors and latency?
Amazon GuardDuty
Why wrong: GuardDuty detects malicious activity, not performance metrics.
Amazon CloudWatch
CloudWatch provides metrics, logs, and alarms for Lambda and API Gateway.
AWS X-Ray
X-Ray traces requests to identify latency issues.
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config monitors resource configuration, not performance.
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail records API calls, not latency or errors.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon CloudWatch
Option A (CloudWatch) provides metrics and alarms. Option D (X-Ray) provides tracing for latency. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail records API calls but not latency. Option C is wrong because Config monitors configuration changes. Option E is wrong because GuardDuty is for security threats.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Amazon GuardDuty
Why it's wrong here
GuardDuty detects malicious activity, not performance metrics.
Amazon CloudWatch
Why this is correct
CloudWatch provides metrics, logs, and alarms for Lambda and API Gateway.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS X-Ray
Why this is correct
X-Ray traces requests to identify latency issues.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config monitors resource configuration, not performance.
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail records API calls, not latency or errors.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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. 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
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.
Incident and Event Response — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon CloudWatch — Option A (CloudWatch) provides metrics and alarms. Option D (X-Ray) provides tracing for latency. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail records API calls but not latency. Option C is wrong because Config monitors configuration changes. Option E is wrong because GuardDuty is for security threats.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DOP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DOP-C02 exam.
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