- A
Change the placement group to a cluster placement group and ensure instances are in the same Availability Zone.
Option A is correct because a cluster placement group is recommended for low-latency, high-throughput traffic.
- B
Enable enhanced networking on the instances and increase the instance size.
Why wrong: Option B is wrong because enhanced networking and larger instance sizes improve network throughput, not latency. Latency is primarily affected by physical distance and placement group type.
- C
Move the instances to the same subnet within the same Availability Zone but keep the spread placement group.
Why wrong: Option C is wrong because although moving to the same Availability Zone reduces cross-AZ latency, the spread placement group still places instances on different racks, which can introduce higher latency compared to a cluster placement group.
- D
Create a VPC peering connection between the two AZs and route traffic through it.
Why wrong: Option D is wrong because VPC peering connects separate VPCs; it does not affect traffic within the same VPC. Latency within the same VPC is influenced by placement group and AZ selection.
ANS-C01 Cluster placement group Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network management and operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: cluster placement group. 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 experiencing high latency for traffic between EC2 instances in the same VPC but in different Availability Zones. The network team suspects the issue is related to the placement group used. The instances are in a spread placement group. What should the network engineer do to reduce latency?
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
Change the placement group to a cluster placement group and ensure instances are in the same Availability Zone.
Option A is correct because a cluster placement group is designed for low-latency, high-throughput traffic by ensuring instances are in close proximity. Option B is incorrect because enabling enhanced networking and increasing instance size can improve throughput but does not directly reduce latency caused by inter-AZ distance. Option C is incorrect because moving instances to the same AZ helps, but a spread placement group still places instances on different racks, which introduces additional latency compared to a cluster placement group. Option D is incorrect because VPC peering is used for connectivity between different VPCs; for intra-VPC traffic, adding a VPC peering connection does not reduce latency and may even add complexity.
Key principle: Cluster placement group
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Change the placement group to a cluster placement group and ensure instances are in the same Availability Zone.
Why this is correct
Option A is correct because a cluster placement group is recommended for low-latency, high-throughput traffic.
Related concept
Cluster placement group
- ✗
Enable enhanced networking on the instances and increase the instance size.
Why it's wrong here
Option B is wrong because enhanced networking and larger instance sizes improve network throughput, not latency. Latency is primarily affected by physical distance and placement group type.
- ✗
Move the instances to the same subnet within the same Availability Zone but keep the spread placement group.
Why it's wrong here
Option C is wrong because although moving to the same Availability Zone reduces cross-AZ latency, the spread placement group still places instances on different racks, which can introduce higher latency compared to a cluster placement group.
- ✗
Create a VPC peering connection between the two AZs and route traffic through it.
Why it's wrong here
Option D is wrong because VPC peering connects separate VPCs; it does not affect traffic within the same VPC. Latency within the same VPC is influenced by placement group and AZ selection.
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cluster placement group
- Spread placement group
- Availability Zone
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
Cluster placement group
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review cluster placement group, then practise related ANS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this ANS-C01 question test?
Network Management and Operations — This question tests Network Management and Operations — Cluster placement group.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the placement group to a cluster placement group and ensure instances are in the same Availability Zone. — Option A is correct because a cluster placement group is designed for low-latency, high-throughput traffic by ensuring instances are in close proximity. Option B is incorrect because enabling enhanced networking and increasing instance size can improve throughput but does not directly reduce latency caused by inter-AZ distance. Option C is incorrect because moving instances to the same AZ helps, but a spread placement group still places instances on different racks, which introduces additional latency compared to a cluster placement group. Option D is incorrect because VPC peering is used for connectivity between different VPCs; for intra-VPC traffic, adding a VPC peering connection does not reduce latency and may even add complexity.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Review cluster placement group, then practise related ANS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cluster placement group
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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