Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A latency-sensitive trading workload runs on 6 EC2 instances. You must distribute the instances so they do NOT share the same underlying hardware rack, reducing the risk of correlated rack-level faults. Which EC2 placement group strategy best meets this requirement?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Cluster placement group
Cluster placement groups place instances close together within a single Availability Zone, typically on the same rack (or tightly co-located hardware). This improves network latency but does not meet the requirement to avoid sharing the same underlying hardware rack.
B
Best answer
Spread placement group
Spread placement groups place instances across distinct underlying hardware, separating them onto different racks within a single Availability Zone. This reduces the chance that a rack-level issue impacts multiple instances simultaneously and directly matches the requirement.
C
Distractor review
Partition placement group
Partition placement groups split instances into partitions to support large scale-out. They are useful for distributed systems, but they do not provide the same simple one-instance-per-rack separation guarantee as spread placement groups.
D
Distractor review
No placement group, rely on the default scheduler
Without a placement group, you cannot control how instances are mapped to underlying hardware racks, so correlated rack-fault risk is not intentionally reduced.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Spread placement group — B. A spread placement group is designed to place instances on distinct underlying hardware so that a rack-level failure is less likely to affect multiple instances. That is the best fit when the primary goal is fault isolation at the rack level. Cluster placement groups are optimized for low-latency, high-throughput communication, while partition placement groups are intended for large distributed systems rather than strict one-instance-per-rack separation. A is wrong because cluster placement groups prioritize co-location and low latency, which conflicts with the requirement to separate instances across racks. C is wrong because partition placement groups are for scaling distributed workloads, not the clearest choice for strict rack-level separation. D is wrong because the default scheduler provides no placement guarantees.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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