The answer is that the IAM policy lacks the necessary `logs:PutLogEvents` permission on the specific log stream resource. While the policy grants access to the `MyAppLogs` log group, the `PutLogEvents` action requires a resource ARN that includes the log stream, such as `arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:MyAppLogs:log-stream:*`. Without this explicit log stream resource, the CloudWatch agent cannot deliver log events, even though the log group name and region are correct. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM resource-level permissions for CloudWatch Logs, a common trap where candidates confuse log group ARNs with log stream ARNs. Remember, for writing logs, the resource must always specify the log stream—think “PutLogEvents needs a stream, not just a dream.”
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. The IAM policy above is attached to an EC2 instance role. The CloudWatch agent on the instance is configured to send logs to the 'MyAppLogs' log group. However, logs are not appearing in CloudWatch. What is the most likely issue?
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.
The instance role needs additional permissions to write to S3 for log delivery.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs does not require S3 permissions for log delivery.
B
The log group name in the policy does not match the log group name configured in the agent.
Why wrong: The policy uses 'MyAppLogs' which matches the agent configuration.
C
The policy does not allow the 'logs:PutLogEvents' action on the specific log stream resource.
The resource ARN for PutLogEvents should include the log stream, e.g., 'arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:MyAppLogs:log-stream:*'. The current policy only allows actions on the log group itself, not on log streams.
D
The region in the policy ARN does not match the region where the log group is created.
Why wrong: The region 'us-east-1' is likely correct.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The policy does not allow the 'logs:PutLogEvents' action on the specific log stream resource.
Option C is correct because the policy only grants permissions for log streams under the log group (using the * wildcard for log streams), but it does not include permission to describe or interact with the log group itself. However, the real issue is that the resource ARN for PutLogEvents requires a log stream resource, not just the log group. The correct resource should be "arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:MyAppLogs:log-stream:*" for PutLogEvents. Option A is wrong because the log group name matches. Option B is wrong because the region is correct. Option D is wrong because CloudWatch Logs agent does not require S3 permissions.
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 instance role needs additional permissions to write to S3 for log delivery.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs does not require S3 permissions for log delivery.
✗
The log group name in the policy does not match the log group name configured in the agent.
Why it's wrong here
The policy uses 'MyAppLogs' which matches the agent configuration.
✓
The policy does not allow the 'logs:PutLogEvents' action on the specific log stream resource.
Why this is correct
The resource ARN for PutLogEvents should include the log stream, e.g., 'arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:MyAppLogs:log-stream:*'. The current policy only allows actions on the log group itself, not on log streams.
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 region in the policy ARN does not match the region where the log group is created.
Why it's wrong here
The region 'us-east-1' is likely correct.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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 policy does not allow the 'logs:PutLogEvents' action on the specific log stream resource. — Option C is correct because the policy only grants permissions for log streams under the log group (using the * wildcard for log streams), but it does not include permission to describe or interact with the log group itself. However, the real issue is that the resource ARN for PutLogEvents requires a log stream resource, not just the log group. The correct resource should be "arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:log-group:MyAppLogs:log-stream:*" for PutLogEvents. Option A is wrong because the log group name matches. Option B is wrong because the region is correct. Option D is wrong because CloudWatch Logs agent does not require S3 permissions.
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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