SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a web application to AWS and wants to decouple the frontend and backend tiers to improve scalability. The frontend runs on Amazon EC2 behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The backend processes orders asynchronously. Which service should the company use to decouple the tiers?
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
✓
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
For decoupling frontend and backend asynchronously, Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) is the appropriate service. It allows the frontend to send order messages to a queue, and the backend components poll and process them independently. Option A (Amazon MQ) is a managed message broker for existing protocols like JMS, but SQS is simpler and more scalable for this use case. Option C (Amazon SNS) is a pub/sub service, not designed for point-to-point decoupling with pull-based consumers. Option D (Amazon Kinesis Data Streams) is for real-time streaming data, not for decoupling web tiers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon MQ
Why it's wrong here
Amazon MQ is incorrect because it provides managed message brokers, such as ActiveMQ or RabbitMQ, primarily for applications requiring open-standard APIs or migrating existing broker-dependent systems. This scenario simply needs asynchronous decoupling for a new or re-platformed web application, without specifying such legacy or protocol requirements. It is tempting as a messaging service, and would be suitable if the company needed to lift-and-shift an application already using ActiveMQ or RabbitMQ, or required specific messaging protocols like AMQP.
- ✓
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why this is correct
SQS provides a fully managed message queue for asynchronous processing.
- ✗
Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS)
Why it's wrong here
SNS is for pub/sub, not for pulling messages by backend workers.
- ✗
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why it's wrong here
Kinesis is for real-time streaming, not for decoupling web application tiers.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 1,660 original SAP-C02 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.