- A
Use an Amazon NLB and configure target groups with HTTP health checks and listener rules for path-based routing.
Why wrong: An NLB operates at Layer 4 (TCP/UDP). It can forward connections and perform basic health checks, but it does not inspect HTTP request paths to make Layer 7 routing decisions like /api/* vs /metrics/*. Path-based routing requires a Layer 7 load balancer such as the ALB.
- B
Use an Amazon ALB with HTTP/2 support, WebSocket upgrades enabled, and listener rules for host/path-based routing.
An ALB supports Layer 7 features needed here: it can terminate TLS on an HTTPS listener, evaluate HTTP host/path routing rules, and it supports WebSocket by allowing HTTP Upgrade behavior through the ALB to the targets. ALBs also support HTTP/2 on HTTPS listeners, which helps maintain high request performance.
- C
Use Amazon API Gateway with a single backend integration and rely on the client to route requests to different microservices.
Why wrong: API Gateway can route requests, but the scenario specifically asks for the best load-balancing choice to perform TLS termination and path-based routing between microservices. Offloading routing responsibility to clients adds complexity and does not satisfy the intent of centralizing path-based routing and connection handling at the load balancer layer.
- D
Use Amazon CloudFront without an ALB, and route requests to microservices using only custom origin headers.
Why wrong: Custom origin headers alone do not implement path-based routing between microservices. To route based on paths and forward WebSocket traffic correctly, CloudFront would require additional behaviors (and often more configuration) to map request paths to distinct origins. In contrast, an ALB provides the required Layer 7 path routing and TLS termination directly for the application services behind it.
Quick Answer
The answer is an Application Load Balancer with HTTP/2 support, WebSocket upgrades enabled, and listener rules for host/path-based routing. This is correct because the ALB natively handles HTTP/2 for high-performance API requests, automatically upgrades WebSocket connections without additional configuration, and uses path-based routing via listener rules to direct traffic like /api/* to Service A and /metrics/* to Service B, all while terminating TLS at the load balancer to offload encryption. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that ALBs are the only AWS load balancer combining HTTP/2, WebSocket, and path-based routing in a single layer; a common trap is choosing a Network Load Balancer for WebSocket performance, but NLB lacks HTTP/2 and path-based routing. Remember the mnemonic: ALB does All Layers—HTTP/2, WebSocket, and path-based routing—while NLB only handles TCP/UDP.
SAA-C03 Design High-Performing Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design high-performing architectures. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 startup runs an HTTP/2 API that also supports WebSocket connections. They need path-based routing to separate microservices (for example, /api/* to Service A and /metrics/* to Service B) and want TLS terminated at the load balancer. Which AWS option best meets these requirements while maintaining high request performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use an Amazon ALB with HTTP/2 support, WebSocket upgrades enabled, and listener rules for host/path-based routing.
An Application Load Balancer (ALB) natively supports HTTP/2, WebSocket upgrades, and path-based routing via listener rules. It terminates TLS at the load balancer, offloading encryption from backend services, and maintains high performance for both HTTP/2 and WebSocket traffic. This makes ALB the correct choice for the startup's requirements.
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.
- ✗
Use an Amazon NLB and configure target groups with HTTP health checks and listener rules for path-based routing.
Why it's wrong here
An NLB operates at Layer 4 (TCP/UDP). It can forward connections and perform basic health checks, but it does not inspect HTTP request paths to make Layer 7 routing decisions like /api/* vs /metrics/*. Path-based routing requires a Layer 7 load balancer such as the ALB.
- ✓
Use an Amazon ALB with HTTP/2 support, WebSocket upgrades enabled, and listener rules for host/path-based routing.
Why this is correct
An ALB supports Layer 7 features needed here: it can terminate TLS on an HTTPS listener, evaluate HTTP host/path routing rules, and it supports WebSocket by allowing HTTP Upgrade behavior through the ALB to the targets. ALBs also support HTTP/2 on HTTPS listeners, which helps maintain high request performance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon API Gateway with a single backend integration and rely on the client to route requests to different microservices.
Why it's wrong here
API Gateway can route requests, but the scenario specifically asks for the best load-balancing choice to perform TLS termination and path-based routing between microservices. Offloading routing responsibility to clients adds complexity and does not satisfy the intent of centralizing path-based routing and connection handling at the load balancer layer.
- ✗
Use Amazon CloudFront without an ALB, and route requests to microservices using only custom origin headers.
Why it's wrong here
Custom origin headers alone do not implement path-based routing between microservices. To route based on paths and forward WebSocket traffic correctly, CloudFront would require additional behaviors (and often more configuration) to map request paths to distinct origins. In contrast, an ALB provides the required Layer 7 path routing and TLS termination directly for the application services behind it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse NLB's Layer 4 capabilities with ALB's Layer 7 features, incorrectly assuming NLB can handle path-based routing or WebSocket upgrades, when in fact it cannot inspect application-layer data.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
API Gateway can route requests, but the scenario specifically asks for the best load-balancing choice to perform TLS termination and path-based routing between microservices. Offloading routing responsibility to clients adds complexity and does not satisfy the intent of centralizing path-based routing and connection handling at the load balancer layer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, an ALB uses listener rules that evaluate incoming requests against conditions (e.g., path patterns like /api/*) and forward traffic to the appropriate target group. For WebSocket connections, the ALB upgrades the HTTP/1.1 request to the WebSocket protocol via the Upgrade header, maintaining persistent connections without performance degradation. This is critical for real-time applications where low latency and connection reuse are paramount.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design High-Performing Architectures — This question tests Design High-Performing Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an Amazon ALB with HTTP/2 support, WebSocket upgrades enabled, and listener rules for host/path-based routing. — An Application Load Balancer (ALB) natively supports HTTP/2, WebSocket upgrades, and path-based routing via listener rules. It terminates TLS at the load balancer, offloading encryption from backend services, and maintains high performance for both HTTP/2 and WebSocket traffic. This makes ALB the correct choice for the startup's requirements.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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