MLA-C01 Practice Question: An engineer runs: aws sagemaker describe-endpoint…

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

{
  "EndpointName": "my-endpoint",
  "EndpointConfigName": "my-endpoint-config-v1",
  "ProductionVariants": [
    {
      "VariantName": "v1",
      "DeployedImages": [
        {
          "SpecifiedImage": "123456789012.dkr.ecr.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/my-model:1",
          "ResolvedImage": "123456789012.dkr.ecr.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/my-model:1@sha256:abc123"
        }
      ],
      "CurrentWeight": 1.0,
      "DesiredWeight": 1.0,
      "CurrentInstanceCount": 2,
      "DesiredInstanceCount": 2
    }
  ],
  "EndpointStatus": "InService"
}

An engineer runs: aws sagemaker describe-endpoint --endpoint-name my-endpoint and receives the exhibit output. The engineer wants to update the endpoint to use a new model version stored in ECR with tag ':2'. Which step is necessary to perform the update?

⚠ Common exam trap

Test-takers frequently assume endpoint configurations are mutable like a text file, but AWS SageMaker enforces immutability — you must create a new configuration for any change, even a simple image tag update.

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

✓

Create a new endpoint configuration (my-endpoint-config-v2) referencing the new image, then call update-endpoint with the new config name.

SageMaker endpoints are immutable with respect to their configuration; you cannot modify an existing endpoint configuration in place. To update an endpoint to use a new model version, you must create a new endpoint configuration (e.g., my-endpoint-config-v2) that points to the new ECR image tag ':2', then call update-endpoint with the new configuration name. This triggers a zero-downtime deployment where SageMaker gradually shifts traffic to the new variant.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✓
Create a new endpoint configuration (my-endpoint-config-v2) referencing the new image, then call update-endpoint with the new config name.
Why this is correct
SageMaker endpoints are immutable; they run a fixed endpoint configuration. Updating the model image requires creating a new configuration referencing the ':2' image, then calling update-endpoint with that configuration name, which triggers a rolling deployment.
✗
Modify the existing endpoint configuration (my-endpoint-config-v1) to use the new image, then update the endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
Endpoint configurations are immutable; editing my-endpoint-config-v1 in place is not permitted. A new configuration referencing the updated model must be created first. It is tempting because reusing the existing config looks tidy, but that pattern suits creating a separate endpoint, not updating one.
✗
Use the update-endpoint command directly with the new image ARN.
Why it's wrong here
update-endpoint accepts an endpoint-config name, not an image ARN, so the new ECR tag cannot be passed directly. A new model and endpoint configuration must exist first. It is tempting because it appears to be the single-command path, but that command only swaps configurations.
✗
Delete the endpoint and recreate it with the new model image.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the endpoint causes downtime and discards its configuration, whereas update-endpoint performs an in-place rolling update. Recreation is tempting when the change looks structural, and it would suit a genuinely new endpoint with a different name or hosting setup.

Go deeper

MLA-C01 Practice Question: An engineer runs: aws sagemaker describe-endpoint…

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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