Quick Answer
The correct answer is to check the security group rules for the instance. Security groups act as a virtual firewall at the instance level, controlling inbound and outbound traffic based on rules you define. Even when an EC2 instance is running and passes status checks, the application will remain inaccessible if the security group does not explicitly allow inbound traffic on the required port, such as HTTP (80) or HTTPS (443). On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to isolate network-layer issues from compute or health problems, a common trap where candidates mistakenly check instance health or state instead of the security group configuration. The exam often presents a running instance with healthy status checks but a silent network failure, pushing you to verify the security group’s inbound rules first. Memory tip: “Running doesn’t mean reachable—check the firewall rules before the health checks.”
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 Solutions Architect runs the above AWS CLI command and gets the output shown. The instance is 'running' but the application is not accessible. What should the Solutions Architect check next?
Check if the instance is terminated.
Why wrong: The instance is running.
Check if the instance ID is correct.
Why wrong: The instance ID is correct as per the command.
Check the instance status checks.
Why wrong: Status checks show system health, not network access.
Check the security group rules for the instance.
Security groups act as a virtual firewall.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Check the security group rules for the instance.
Option C is correct because security group rules control inbound traffic. Option A is wrong because the instance is running. Option B is wrong because the status checks show health, not network access. Option D is wrong because the instance ID is correct.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Check if the instance is terminated.
Why it's wrong here
The instance is running.
Check if the instance ID is correct.
Why it's wrong here
The instance ID is correct as per the command.
Check the instance status checks.
Why it's wrong here
Status checks show system health, not network access.
Check the security group rules for the instance.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The instance ID is correct as per the command.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: Check the security group rules for the instance. — Option C is correct because security group rules control inbound traffic. Option A is wrong because the instance is running. Option B is wrong because the status checks show health, not network access. Option D is wrong because the instance ID is correct.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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