- A
AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager
Why wrong: Patch Manager only manages OS patches.
- B
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why wrong: Parameter Store stores parameters but does not apply configurations.
- C
AWS Systems Manager Run Command
Why wrong: Run Command is for ad-hoc commands, not automatic drift remediation.
- D
AWS Systems Manager State Manager
State Manager enforces configuration and remediates drift.
Question 189 of 1,750
Using State Manager to Remediate Configuration Drift
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 is using AWS Systems Manager to manage configuration drift on EC2 instances. They want to automatically apply a baseline configuration to instances that have drifted from the desired state. Which Systems Manager capability should they use?
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
✓
AWS Systems Manager State Manager
AWS Systems Manager State Manager is the correct capability because it is specifically designed to define and maintain consistent configuration states for EC2 instances and other AWS resources. It uses associations to automatically apply a baseline configuration and remediate drift on a schedule or when triggered, ensuring instances remain in the desired state without manual intervention.
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.
- ✗
AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager
Why it's wrong here
Patch Manager only manages OS patches.
- ✗
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why it's wrong here
Parameter Store stores parameters but does not apply configurations.
- ✗
AWS Systems Manager Run Command
Why it's wrong here
Run Command is for ad-hoc commands, not automatic drift remediation.
- ✓
AWS Systems Manager State Manager
Why this is correct
State Manager enforces configuration and remediates drift.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Run Command with State Manager because both can execute commands, but Run Command is for one-time execution while State Manager is for ongoing, automated enforcement of a desired configuration state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Run Command is for ad-hoc commands, not automatic drift remediation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
State Manager uses associations that define a desired state configuration (e.g., using AWS-RunPowerShellScript or custom SSM documents) and a schedule (e.g., rate(1 hour) or cron expressions) to repeatedly check and enforce that state. Under the hood, State Manager leverages the SSM Agent on the instance to execute the association, and it logs compliance details in Amazon CloudWatch and AWS Config, enabling audit trails and drift reporting. In a real-world scenario, you could use State Manager to ensure that a specific security group rule or registry key is always present, automatically reapplying it if an unauthorized change occurs.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: AWS Systems Manager State Manager — AWS Systems Manager State Manager is the correct capability because it is specifically designed to define and maintain consistent configuration states for EC2 instances and other AWS resources. It uses associations to automatically apply a baseline configuration and remediate drift on a schedule or when triggered, ensuring instances remain in the desired state without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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 Systems Manager to manage a fleet of EC2 instances. The operations team needs to run a script on all instances that are missing a specific security patch. Which Systems Manager capability should be used to accomplish this?
easy- A.Automation
- ✓ B.State Manager
- C.Run Command
- D.Patch Manager
Why B: State Manager is the correct capability because it is designed to maintain consistent configuration of EC2 instances by defining and enforcing a desired state. In this scenario, the operations team needs to ensure that all instances missing a specific security patch are brought into compliance, which is a classic desired-state management task. State Manager uses associations to define the desired state (e.g., a script to apply the patch) and automatically enforces it on a schedule or on-demand, making it ideal for ensuring all instances eventually reach the patched state.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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