The answer is Amazon EventBridge, which serves as a serverless event router capable of broadcasting a single event to multiple downstream services independently. This works because EventBridge uses a publish-subscribe model where rules filter and route events to various targets—such as Lambda functions, SQS queues, or SNS topics—and each target receives a complete copy of the event, ensuring reliable, independent processing. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of event-driven architecture patterns, often appearing in questions that contrast EventBridge with services like SQS (which delivers each message to only one consumer) or Kinesis (where shards are consumed sequentially). A common trap is confusing a queue or stream with a broadcast router; remember that EventBridge is the only service that natively supports fan-out to multiple targets without requiring custom code. Memory tip: think of EventBridge as a “broadcast hub” for events, while SQS is a “one-to-one pipe.”
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 wants to design a serverless event-driven architecture where multiple downstream services need to process events from a single source. Events must be reliably delivered and each downstream service must process every event independently. Which AWS service should be used as the event router?
Why wrong: AWS Step Functions is a workflow orchestration service, not designed for event broadcasting to multiple targets.
B
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why wrong: Amazon Kinesis Data Streams is for streaming data, but each shard is processed by one consumer; to broadcast, you would need multiple consumer applications, which is less efficient.
C
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why wrong: Amazon SQS is a message queue that delivers each message to a single consumer. It does not support broadcasting to multiple independent consumers.
D
Amazon EventBridge
Amazon EventBridge allows you to create rules that send events to multiple targets (e.g., Lambda, SQS, SNS, Step Functions) simultaneously, enabling independent processing.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon EventBridge
Option A is correct because Amazon EventBridge can route events to multiple targets (e.g., Lambda, SQS, SNS) based on rules, and each target receives the event independently. Option B is wrong because Amazon SQS is a queue, not a router; it only delivers messages to a single consumer per message. Option C is wrong because AWS Step Functions is for orchestrating workflows, not for broadcasting events. Option D is wrong because Amazon Kinesis Data Streams is for real-time streaming, but each shard is processed by a single consumer; broadcasting requires multiple consumer applications.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
AWS Step Functions
Why it's wrong here
AWS Step Functions is a workflow orchestration service, not designed for event broadcasting to multiple targets.
✗
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why it's wrong here
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams is for streaming data, but each shard is processed by one consumer; to broadcast, you would need multiple consumer applications, which is less efficient.
✗
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why it's wrong here
Amazon SQS is a message queue that delivers each message to a single consumer. It does not support broadcasting to multiple independent consumers.
✓
Amazon EventBridge
Why this is correct
Amazon EventBridge allows you to create rules that send events to multiple targets (e.g., Lambda, SQS, SNS, Step Functions) simultaneously, enabling independent processing.
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SAP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon EventBridge — Option A is correct because Amazon EventBridge can route events to multiple targets (e.g., Lambda, SQS, SNS) based on rules, and each target receives the event independently. Option B is wrong because Amazon SQS is a queue, not a router; it only delivers messages to a single consumer per message. Option C is wrong because AWS Step Functions is for orchestrating workflows, not for broadcasting events. Option D is wrong because Amazon Kinesis Data Streams is for real-time streaming, but each shard is processed by a single consumer; broadcasting requires multiple consumer applications.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SAP-C02 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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