The answer is to install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the EC2 instance and configure it to tail the log file. This is correct because the CloudWatch agent can read application logs directly from a local file and forward them to CloudWatch Logs in real time, requiring zero modifications to the application code itself. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of agent-based log collection versus alternatives like custom S3 scripts, Kinesis Agent, or CloudTrail, which are either overly complex or designed for different purposes. A common trap is assuming you need to modify the application to output logs to stdout or to a different service, but the CloudWatch agent’s “tail” functionality handles legacy file-based logging seamlessly. Memory tip: think “agent tails, no code fails” — the agent does the heavy lifting so your legacy app stays untouched.
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company has a legacy application that runs on an Amazon EC2 instance. The application writes logs to a local file. The company wants to centralize log monitoring without modifying the application code. Which solution should the company use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the EC2 instance and configure it to tail the log file.
Option D is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on EC2 to send logs to CloudWatch Logs without code changes. Option A is wrong because copying logs to S3 requires custom scripting. Option B is wrong because Amazon Kinesis Agent is more complex and not necessary. Option C is wrong because it would require modification to the application. Option E is wrong because CloudTrail is for API activity, not application logs.
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 Amazon Kinesis Agent to stream the log file to Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose.
Why it's wrong here
Kinesis Agent is for streaming, but CloudWatch agent is simpler for centralizing.
✓
Install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the EC2 instance and configure it to tail the log file.
Why this is correct
CloudWatch agent can collect logs from files and send to CloudWatch Logs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Modify the application to use the AWS SDK for logging to Amazon CloudWatch Logs.
Why it's wrong here
Requires code changes.
✗
Turn on AWS CloudTrail for the EC2 instance to capture logs.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls, not application logs.
✗
Configure the application to write logs to Amazon S3 using the AWS SDK.
Why it's wrong here
Requires code modification.
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
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.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Install the Amazon CloudWatch agent on the EC2 instance and configure it to tail the log file. — Option D is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on EC2 to send logs to CloudWatch Logs without code changes. Option A is wrong because copying logs to S3 requires custom scripting. Option B is wrong because Amazon Kinesis Agent is more complex and not necessary. Option C is wrong because it would require modification to the application. Option E is wrong because CloudTrail is for API activity, not application logs.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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