- A
Enable ECS Service Connect on each service, and use the service discovery names provided by Service Connect.
Service Connect provides DNS and encryption out-of-the-box.
- B
Create a namespace in AWS Cloud Map, register each service, and configure service-to-service communication using the namespace.
Why wrong: Cloud Map provides DNS but does not automatically provide TLS encryption.
- C
Place a Network Load Balancer in front of each service and use the NLB DNS name for communication.
Why wrong: NLB does not provide HTTP-layer features like authentication, and adds cost.
- D
Place an Application Load Balancer in front of each service and use the ALB DNS name for communication.
Why wrong: ALB per service adds cost and complexity, and is not needed for internal service-to-service communication.
Quick Answer
The correct choice is to enable ECS Service Connect on each service and use the service discovery names it provides, because Service Connect natively delivers encrypted in-transit communication via automatic TLS termination and DNS-based service discovery without requiring additional infrastructure. For the SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to meet both encryption and discovery requirements with minimal operational overhead, while avoiding common traps like relying solely on AWS Cloud Map (which lacks built-in encryption) or over-engineering with load balancers. The key insight is that ECS Service Connect combines service mesh capabilities with Fargate’s serverless compute, making it the most efficient solution for microservices that need encrypted REST API communication. Remember the memory tip: “Service Connect secures and discovers in one click—no extra ALB, no Cloud Map trick.”
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new 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 is designing a microservices architecture using Amazon ECS with Fargate. Each microservice needs to communicate with others via REST APIs. The company wants to ensure that communication is encrypted in transit and that services can discover each other using DNS names. Which set of actions should the company take?
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
Enable ECS Service Connect on each service, and use the service discovery names provided by Service Connect.
Option A is correct because ECS Service Connect provides DNS-based service discovery and automatic encryption via TLS. Option B uses Cloud Map but does not enforce encryption. Option C uses ALB which adds complexity and cost. Option D uses NLB unnecessarily.
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.
- ✓
Enable ECS Service Connect on each service, and use the service discovery names provided by Service Connect.
Why this is correct
Service Connect provides DNS and encryption out-of-the-box.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a namespace in AWS Cloud Map, register each service, and configure service-to-service communication using the namespace.
- ✗
Place a Network Load Balancer in front of each service and use the NLB DNS name for communication.
Why it's wrong here
NLB does not provide HTTP-layer features like authentication, and adds cost.
- ✗
Place an Application Load Balancer in front of each service and use the ALB DNS name for communication.
Why it's wrong here
ALB per service adds cost and complexity, and is not needed for internal service-to-service communication.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable ECS Service Connect on each service, and use the service discovery names provided by Service Connect. — Option A is correct because ECS Service Connect provides DNS-based service discovery and automatic encryption via TLS. Option B uses Cloud Map but does not enforce encryption. Option C uses ALB which adds complexity and cost. Option D uses NLB unnecessarily.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SAP-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is designing a microservices architecture using Amazon ECS with Fargate. The services need to communicate with each other. The company wants to minimize operational overhead and ensure that service discovery is automatically updated when services scale. Which service discovery option should be used?
hard- ✓ A.AWS Cloud Map
- B.Amazon ECS service connect
- C.Elastic Load Balancing with internal NLB
- D.Amazon Route 53 private hosted zones with health checks
Why A: AWS Cloud Map provides service discovery that automatically updates with service scaling.
Keep practising
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
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