- A
Rewrite the entire application as microservices from scratch and deploy them in a new AWS environment. Cut over all traffic at once after testing.
Why wrong: This is a big-bang approach with high risk of downtime and does not leverage existing code; also likely exceeds the 6-month timeline.
- B
Use AWS Blue/Green deployment for the monolith to reduce downtime, then migrate to microservices after the deployment is stable.
Why wrong: Blue/Green is a deployment technique, not a migration pattern from monolith to microservices; it does not address the architectural change.
- C
Use the Strangler Fig pattern to incrementally replace monolith functionality with microservices, routing traffic to new services as they are built.
This pattern allows gradual migration with minimal disruption, aligns with the timeline, and enables modernization in steps.
- D
Perform a lift-and-shift migration of the monolith to EC2 instances, then gradually refactor into microservices over the next year.
Why wrong: Lift-and-shift does not modernize and delays the microservices goal; also does not minimize operational overhead as desired.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. 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 retail company is migrating its e-commerce platform from a monolith running on a single on-premises server to AWS. The current application consists of a Java-based web server, a MySQL database, and a caching layer using Redis. The company wants to modernize the architecture by adopting microservices, using serverless where possible, and minimizing operational overhead. The migration must be completed within six months with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. The solutions architect proposes the following initial steps: containerize the Java application and run it on Amazon ECS with Fargate, migrate the MySQL database to Amazon Aurora Serverless v2, and replace Redis with Amazon ElastiCache for Redis Serverless. However, the team is concerned about the complexity of the migration and the potential for downtime. Which recommendation should the solutions architect make to address these concerns?
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
Use the Strangler Fig pattern to incrementally replace monolith functionality with microservices, routing traffic to new services as they are built.
Option C is correct because the Strangler Fig pattern allows the team to incrementally replace specific functionalities of the monolithic e-commerce platform with microservices, routing traffic to the new services as they are built. This minimizes disruption and downtime by avoiding a big-bang cutover, and it aligns with the goal of modernizing to microservices and serverless within the six-month timeline. The pattern leverages an existing ingress controller (e.g., an Application Load Balancer with path-based routing) to gradually shift requests from the monolith to new services running on Amazon ECS with Fargate, while the database and caching layers are migrated separately with minimal impact.
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.
- ✗
Rewrite the entire application as microservices from scratch and deploy them in a new AWS environment. Cut over all traffic at once after testing.
Why it's wrong here
This is a big-bang approach with high risk of downtime and does not leverage existing code; also likely exceeds the 6-month timeline.
- ✗
Use AWS Blue/Green deployment for the monolith to reduce downtime, then migrate to microservices after the deployment is stable.
Why it's wrong here
Blue/Green is a deployment technique, not a migration pattern from monolith to microservices; it does not address the architectural change.
- ✓
Use the Strangler Fig pattern to incrementally replace monolith functionality with microservices, routing traffic to new services as they are built.
Why this is correct
This pattern allows gradual migration with minimal disruption, aligns with the timeline, and enables modernization in steps.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Perform a lift-and-shift migration of the monolith to EC2 instances, then gradually refactor into microservices over the next year.
Why it's wrong here
Lift-and-shift does not modernize and delays the microservices goal; also does not minimize operational overhead as desired.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Blue/Green deployments (which reduce downtime for a single application version) with the Strangler Fig pattern (which is specifically designed for incremental migration from a monolith to microservices), leading them to choose Option B as a safe but incomplete solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Strangler Fig pattern works by intercepting calls to the monolith (e.g., via an API gateway or reverse proxy like Amazon API Gateway or an ALB) and routing specific requests to new microservices based on URL paths or other criteria. Under the hood, this often involves feature flags or a routing layer that gradually increases the percentage of traffic to new services, allowing rollback if issues arise. In a real-world scenario, the team could start by extracting the product catalog or user authentication into a separate microservice, test it in isolation, and then route 5% of traffic to it before scaling up, all while the monolith continues to serve the remaining functionality.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. 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.
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Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the Strangler Fig pattern to incrementally replace monolith functionality with microservices, routing traffic to new services as they are built. — Option C is correct because the Strangler Fig pattern allows the team to incrementally replace specific functionalities of the monolithic e-commerce platform with microservices, routing traffic to the new services as they are built. This minimizes disruption and downtime by avoiding a big-bang cutover, and it aligns with the goal of modernizing to microservices and serverless within the six-month timeline. The pattern leverages an existing ingress controller (e.g., an Application Load Balancer with path-based routing) to gradually shift requests from the monolith to new services running on Amazon ECS with Fargate, while the database and caching layers are migrated separately with minimal impact.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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