DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
Exhibit
CloudWatch Alarm configuration (JSON):
{
"AlarmName": "HighCPU",
"AlarmDescription": "Alarm when CPU exceeds 90% for 5 minutes",
"ActionsEnabled": true,
"OKActions": ["arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:123456789012:MyTopic"],
"AlarmActions": ["arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:123456789012:MyTopic"],
"InsufficientDataActions": [],
"MetricName": "CPUUtilization",
"Namespace": "AWS/EC2",
"Statistic": "Average",
"Period": 300,
"EvaluationPeriods": 2,
"Threshold": 90.0,
"ComparisonOperator": "GreaterThanThreshold"
}Refer to the exhibit. An alarm is configured as shown. The CPU utilization averages 85% for 10 minutes, then spikes to 95% for the next 5 minutes, and returns to 80%. How many times will the SNS topic receive a notification?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume the alarm triggers immediately when the metric exceeds the threshold, but CloudWatch requires a specified number of consecutive evaluation periods (datapoints) to breach before changing state, and the threshold comparison is strict (greater than, not greater than or equal).
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
✓
0
Per the exhibit: Period=300s (5 min), EvaluationPeriods=2, Threshold=90.0, ComparisonOperator=GreaterThanThreshold, no DatapointsToAlarm override (so 2 consecutive breaching 5-minute periods are required to enter ALARM). CPU averages 85% for two 5-minute periods (not breaching, since 85 is not > 90), then 95% for one 5-minute period (breaching), then returns to 80% (not breaching). The single breaching period is immediately preceded and followed by non-breaching periods, so the alarm never accumulates 2 consecutive breaches and never transitions into ALARM -- it stays in OK the entire time. Since neither AlarmActions nor OKActions fire without an actual state transition, and none occurs, the SNS topic receives zero notifications.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
0
Why this is correct
The CloudWatch alarm is configured with `EvaluationPeriods: 3` and `DatapointsToAlarm: 2`. During the monitoring window, the CPU utilization never produces two breaching datapoints within any three consecutive periods, so the alarm condition remains unsatisfied. Consequently, the alarm never leaves the OK state and thus never enters ALARM.
- ✗
1
Why it's wrong here
Answer 1 would require the alarm to transition to ALARM exactly once, but such a transition demands two breaching datapoints within the evaluation window. The metric stream contains only one period where CPU exceeds the threshold, and this single breach is insufficient to satisfy the `DatapointsToAlarm` setting. Therefore, no ALARM event occurs, making one transition impossible.
- ✗
2
Why it's wrong here
This option implies two separate ALARM transitions, which cannot happen because the alarm never breaches its threshold condition at all. To trigger ALARM, the alarm needs two high-CPU periods within the configured evaluation periods; however, the data shows only one spike above the threshold. Since the required breach count is never reached, the alarm remains in OK state and cannot produce two transitions.
- ✗
3
Why it's wrong here
Choosing 3 assumes multiple ALARM cycles, but the alarm's `DatapointsToAlarm: 2` condition is never met, so no ALARM state is ever entered. The CPU metric has only a single datapoint above the threshold, and the alarm's evaluation periods do not contain enough breaching datapoints. As a result, the alarm stays in OK throughout the entire period, ruling out any number of transitions other than zero.
About these practice questions
This DOP-C02 question is part of Courseiva's 1,298-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way 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. Refer to the exhibit. The CloudWatch alarm is set on CPUUtilization. The instance's CPU at 10:00 is 75%, at 10:05 is 82%, and at 10:10 is 85%. Will the alarm trigger?
hard- A.Yes, because the CPU exceeded 80% at 10:05.
- ✓ B.Yes, but only after 10:10 when two consecutive periods are above the threshold.
- C.No, because the alarm uses Average statistic and the average over the entire time is below 80%.
- D.No, because the first data point at 10:00 is below the threshold.
Why B: The alarm evaluates 2 consecutive periods (each 5 minutes). At 10:05, the average for that period is 82% (above 80), but the previous period (10:00) average is 75% (below 80). So only one period is breached. At 10:10, the average for that period is 85% (above 80), and the previous period (10:05) average is 82% (above 80). So two consecutive periods are breached, triggering the alarm.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.