mediumMultiple Select
MLA-C01 Practice Question: Deploying a machine learning model using…
A company is deploying a machine learning model using SageMaker hosting. They need to support multiple versions of the model for A/B testing. Which TWO actions are required to set up the A/B test? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse shadow variants (which are for passive monitoring) with production variants (which are for active traffic splitting), leading them to select Option A instead of understanding that A/B testing requires explicit traffic routing via variant weights.
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
✓
Configure the endpoint to route a percentage of traffic to each variant using initial variant weight
Option E is correct because a SageMaker A/B test requires a single real-time endpoint that hosts two (or more) production variants, each pointing to a different model version, so live traffic can be split between them. Option C is correct because the traffic split is controlled by assigning each production variant an initial variant weight (a percentage of invocations), which the endpoint uses to route requests proportionally between the variants. Together, creating the multi-variant endpoint and configuring the initial variant weights are the required steps to run the A/B test. Option A is not required because shadow variants only mirror traffic to a variant without returning its response to users, which is for testing without impacting users rather than A/B comparison. Option B is not required because a batch transform job performs offline inference and does not route live endpoint traffic. Option D is not required because registering models in the Model Registry is a governance/versioning practice, not a prerequisite for configuring endpoint traffic splitting.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable shadow variants to capture traffic for the new model without affecting users
Why it's wrong here
Shadow variants mirror production traffic to a new model without serving its predictions, so no live traffic split occurs and user-facing results never come from the candidate. Shadow testing suits pre-release validation of a model's behaviour; A/B testing instead requires production variants with assigned traffic weights.
- ✗
Set up a batch transform job to compare performance offline
Why it's wrong here
Batch transform scores stored datasets offline and returns no live endpoint traffic, so it cannot split requests between model versions or measure production outcomes. Batch transform is correct for bulk inference over historical data, whereas A/B testing needs real-time variants served behind one endpoint.
- ✓
Configure the endpoint to route a percentage of traffic to each variant using initial variant weight
Why this is correct
SageMaker A/B testing requires traffic distribution across variants, configured through initial variant weight on the endpoint configuration. Setting weights routes a defined percentage of inference requests to each model version, satisfying the requirement to compare live performance between the two deployed versions.
- ✗
Register both models in SageMaker Model Registry
Why it's wrong here
Model Registry catalogues, versions and approves models; it does not deploy them or route endpoint traffic, so registering both models leaves no live variants to split. Registry is correct for governance and approval workflows, while A/B testing requires production variants configured on a SageMaker endpoint.
- ✓
Create an endpoint with two production variants, each serving a different model version
Why this is correct
An A/B test needs a single endpoint hosting two production variants, each pointing to a distinct model version. This satisfies the requirement to serve multiple versions concurrently, since SageMaker routes inference traffic between variants within one endpoint rather than across separate endpoints.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 665 original MLA-C01 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This MLA-C01 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 MLA-C01 exam.