- A
Decrease the number of subnets in the VPC.
Why wrong: Decreasing subnets does not affect scaling speed and reduces fault tolerance; incorrect.
- B
Decrease the scale-in and scale-out cooldown periods.
Decreasing cooldown periods allows more frequent scaling actions, helping the service respond faster to traffic spikes; correct.
- C
Decrease the ALB idle timeout.
Why wrong: Decreasing the ALB idle timeout does not directly impact scaling behavior; it only affects how long idle connections are kept; incorrect.
- D
Increase the maximum number of tasks in the ECS service.
Increasing the maximum number of tasks ensures the service can scale to a higher capacity; correct.
- E
Increase the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization).
Why wrong: Increasing the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization) makes the scaling threshold higher, reducing aggressiveness. This would make the scaling slower, not faster; incorrect.
SAP-C02 Application Auto Scaling Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing 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. A key principle to apply: application Auto Scaling. 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 runs a web application on Amazon ECS with Fargate launch type. The application is behind an Application Load Balancer. During traffic spikes, the application becomes slow. The team suspects that the ECS service is not scaling fast enough. Which THREE actions should the team take to improve the scalability? (Choose three.)
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
Decrease the scale-in and scale-out cooldown periods.
Options B and D are correct. Decreasing cooldown periods (option B) allows scaling to happen more frequently, reducing lag during traffic spikes. Increasing the maximum number of tasks (option D) ensures the service can scale out to a higher capacity to handle increased load. Option A is incorrect because decreasing subnets does not improve scalability and reduces fault tolerance. Option C is incorrect because decreasing the ALB idle timeout does not directly affect scaling behavior; it only affects connection persistence. Option E is incorrect because increasing the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization) makes the scaling threshold harder to reach, reducing scaling aggressiveness. The correct action would be to decrease the target value.
Key principle: Application Auto Scaling
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Decrease the number of subnets in the VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Decreasing subnets does not affect scaling speed and reduces fault tolerance; incorrect.
- ✓
Decrease the scale-in and scale-out cooldown periods.
Why this is correct
Decreasing cooldown periods allows more frequent scaling actions, helping the service respond faster to traffic spikes; correct.
Related concept
Application Auto Scaling
- ✗
Decrease the ALB idle timeout.
Why it's wrong here
Decreasing the ALB idle timeout does not directly impact scaling behavior; it only affects how long idle connections are kept; incorrect.
- ✓
Increase the maximum number of tasks in the ECS service.
Why this is correct
Increasing the maximum number of tasks ensures the service can scale to a higher capacity; correct.
Related concept
Application Auto Scaling
- ✗
Increase the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization).
Why it's wrong here
Increasing the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization) makes the scaling threshold higher, reducing aggressiveness. This would make the scaling slower, not faster; incorrect.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common pitfall is assuming that increasing the target value for a scaling metric improves scalability. In fact, it makes scaling less aggressive, worsening the problem. The correct action is to decrease the target value.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Application Auto Scaling
- Cooldown period
- Maximum tasks
- Target tracking scaling policy
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
Application Auto Scaling
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review application Auto Scaling, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Application Auto Scaling.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Decrease the scale-in and scale-out cooldown periods. — Options B and D are correct. Decreasing cooldown periods (option B) allows scaling to happen more frequently, reducing lag during traffic spikes. Increasing the maximum number of tasks (option D) ensures the service can scale out to a higher capacity to handle increased load. Option A is incorrect because decreasing subnets does not improve scalability and reduces fault tolerance. Option C is incorrect because decreasing the ALB idle timeout does not directly affect scaling behavior; it only affects connection persistence. Option E is incorrect because increasing the target value for the scaling metric (e.g., CPU utilization) makes the scaling threshold harder to reach, reducing scaling aggressiveness. The correct action would be to decrease the target value.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review application Auto Scaling, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Application Auto Scaling
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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