Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
CloudWatch billing snapshot: Logs ingestion: moderate Logs storage: high Custom metrics: low Detailed monitoring charges: high EC2 fleet: 200 instances across 4 Auto Scaling groups Detailed monitoring enabled on every instance CloudWatch Logs groups: /app/prod/web: retention = Never Expire /app/prod/api: retention = Never Expire /app/prod/batch: retention = 365 days Compliance note: Keep logs available for at least 90 days No requirement for 1-minute EC2 metrics on all instances
Based on the exhibit, the company wants to lower CloudWatch and EC2 monitoring costs. Auditors require logs to be retained for 90 days, but operations only uses detailed per-instance metrics during rare troubleshooting events. Which change best reduces recurring cost while preserving the required visibility?
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
Disable CloudWatch Logs entirely and rely on application local files for 90 days.
Local files are not a durable or centralized substitute for CloudWatch Logs. This would increase operational risk, make retention harder to enforce, and reduce the team’s ability to search and audit logs across the fleet.
B
Distractor review
Increase the number of CloudWatch alarms so that metrics are collected less expensively.
Alarms do not reduce metric collection cost. The expensive part in the exhibit is detailed monitoring on every instance and indefinite log retention, neither of which is solved by adding more alarms.
C
Best answer
Set CloudWatch Logs retention to 90 days for all log groups, and switch EC2 monitoring from detailed to basic except during incidents.
This directly addresses the two visible recurring cost drivers. Applying a 90-day retention policy stops indefinite log storage growth while still meeting the audit requirement. Basic monitoring is sufficient when 1-minute metrics are not required all the time, and detailed monitoring can be enabled selectively during incidents instead of paying for it across all 200 instances continuously.
D
Distractor review
Export all logs to Amazon S3 immediately and keep detailed monitoring enabled on every instance.
Exporting logs to S3 can help with archival economics, but it does not reduce the detailed monitoring charge, which is one of the largest costs in the exhibit. Keeping detailed monitoring on every instance preserves the major recurring cost driver.
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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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 5
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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: Set CloudWatch Logs retention to 90 days for all log groups, and switch EC2 monitoring from detailed to basic except during incidents. — The exhibit shows two unnecessary recurring costs: log groups that never expire and detailed monitoring on the entire EC2 fleet. Setting log retention to 90 days satisfies the compliance requirement and prevents storage from growing forever. Switching to basic monitoring lowers the per-instance monitoring charge while still allowing detailed monitoring to be turned on temporarily when operations needs deeper visibility. Turning off CloudWatch Logs breaks centralized auditing and retention. More alarms do not reduce the cost of collecting 1-minute metrics. Exporting to S3 may reduce log-storage costs for long-term archive, but it does not remove the expensive detailed monitoring charge on every instance.
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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