SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
A company is migrating a monolithic application to a microservices architecture on AWS. They want to improve deployment frequency and reduce risk. Which TWO strategies should they adopt?
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
✓
Implement blue/green deployments.
Correct answers are B and C. Blue/green deployments (B) reduce risk by allowing instant rollback and minimizing downtime during production releases. CI/CD pipelines with automated testing (C) increase deployment frequency by automating build, test, and deployment steps, enabling rapid and reliable releases. Option A is incorrect because deploying all microservices from a single codebase increases coupling and blast radius. Option D is incorrect because manual approval gates slow down frequency. Option E is incorrect because feature branches with manual merge approvals introduce delays and integration complexity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deploy all microservices from a single codebase.
Why it's wrong here
A single codebase for all microservices recreates the monolith's coupling: one change forces redeployment of every service, so release cadence stays tied together. It is tempting because monorepos are common, but independent deployability requires each service to own its codebase and pipeline.
- ✓
Implement blue/green deployments.
Why this is correct
Blue/green deployments run the new microservice version alongside the old one, shifting traffic only after verification. This satisfies the reduced-risk constraint by enabling instant rollback to the previous environment, while supporting frequent releases without downtime.
- ✓
Use CI/CD pipelines with automated testing.
Why this is correct
Automated testing within a CI/CD pipeline gates each microservice change before release, so defects are caught per-commit rather than at integration. This directly raises deployment frequency by removing manual release gates and reduces risk by preventing faulty artefacts from reaching production.
- ✗
Require manual approval for each production deployment.
Why it's wrong here
Manual approval before every production deployment inserts a human gate that serialises releases, directly limiting deployment frequency. It is tempting because approvals feel like risk control, yet the stem asks for both frequency and reduced risk; automated canary or blue/green deployments with rollback achieve that instead.
- ✗
Use feature branches with manual merge approvals.
Why it's wrong here
Feature branches with manual merge approvals gate integration on human sign-off, so releases wait on reviewers rather than flowing through automated pipelines. It is tempting because branches isolate work, but the manual approval step caps deployment frequency; trunk-based development with automated testing and progressive delivery is what raises it.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AAA Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port(s) | Encryption | Transport | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | 1812 / 1813 | Password only | UDP | Network access control |
| TACACS+ | 49 | Full packet | TCP | Device administration |
| Diameter | 3868 | Full session | TCP / SCTP | Carrier / mobile networks |
| 802.1X | — | EAP-based | Layer 2 | Port-based access control |
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.