The correct answer is that the ALB did not receive any requests during most of the 5-minute periods. This is because the TargetResponseTime metric is only emitted when the Application Load Balancer actually processes traffic; if no requests arrive in a given 300-second period, CloudWatch simply omits that data point rather than recording a zero. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how ALB metrics behave under low or zero traffic conditions—a common trap is assuming missing data points indicate a configuration error or metric unavailability. Remember that ALB metrics like TargetResponseTime are request-driven, not time-driven, so empty intervals produce gaps, not zeros. A quick memory tip: “No requests, no response time—empty periods, empty datapoints.”
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer runs the AWS CLI command to get the average TargetResponseTime for an ALB over a 1-hour period. The output shows only three datapoints. What is the most likely reason?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The ALB did not receive any requests during most of the 5-minute periods.
Option C is correct because the period is 300 seconds (5 minutes), so there should be 12 datapoints in an hour. However, the output shows only 3, which suggests that data is missing for most intervals, likely because the ALB did not receive any requests during those periods (the metric is only emitted when there are requests). Option A is wrong because the metric is available. Option B is wrong because the command includes the TargetGroup dimension. Option D is wrong because the period is set to 300.
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.
✓
The ALB did not receive any requests during most of the 5-minute periods.
Why this is correct
If no requests are received, no datapoints are emitted for that period.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The metric TargetResponseTime is not available for Application Load Balancers.
The command is missing the 'Statistics' parameter with 'Average'.
Why it's wrong here
The command includes '--statistics Average'.
✗
The period of 300 seconds is too large; a smaller period should be used.
Why it's wrong here
300 seconds is a valid period; the number of datapoints is determined by the time range divided by period.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The command includes '--statistics Average'.
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.
Monitoring and Logging — This question tests Monitoring and Logging — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The ALB did not receive any requests during most of the 5-minute periods. — Option C is correct because the period is 300 seconds (5 minutes), so there should be 12 datapoints in an hour. However, the output shows only 3, which suggests that data is missing for most intervals, likely because the ALB did not receive any requests during those periods (the metric is only emitted when there are requests). Option A is wrong because the metric is available. Option B is wrong because the command includes the TargetGroup dimension. Option D is wrong because the period is set to 300.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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