- A
Increase the Auto Scaling group's desired capacity to a higher fixed value.
Why wrong: Fixed capacity may not adapt to demand; without a load balancer, traffic may not be balanced.
- B
Configure an Application Load Balancer in front of the Auto Scaling group.
ALB distributes traffic evenly across instances.
- C
Switch to a different Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with optimized performance.
Why wrong: AMI change does not directly improve scalability.
- D
Launch the Auto Scaling group in multiple Availability Zones.
Multi-AZ improves fault tolerance and scalability.
- E
Increase the instance size to a larger type.
Why wrong: Vertical scaling may not address the root cause of overload.
Question 1,510 of 1,746
Improve Web App Scalability with ALB and Multi-AZ
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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 company runs a stateless web application on EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group. The application experiences high latency during peak hours. The operations team suspects that the instances are overloaded. Which TWO actions should the team take to improve performance and scalability? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Configure an Application Load Balancer in front of the Auto Scaling group.
Option B is correct because an Application Load Balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple EC2 instances, reducing load on individual instances and improving scalability. Option D is correct because launching instances in multiple Availability Zones increases fault tolerance and allows the Auto Scaling group to scale across zones, improving availability and performance during peak hours. Option A is incorrect because increasing desired capacity to a fixed value does not adapt to variable demand and may lead to overprovisioning. Option C is incorrect because changing the AMI does not address the root cause of overload; performance improvements from AMI changes are negligible compared to scaling. Option E is incorrect because increasing instance size (vertical scaling) has limits and does not provide the elasticity and cost-efficiency of horizontal scaling.
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.
- ✗
Increase the Auto Scaling group's desired capacity to a higher fixed value.
Why it's wrong here
Fixed capacity may not adapt to demand; without a load balancer, traffic may not be balanced.
- ✓
Configure an Application Load Balancer in front of the Auto Scaling group.
Why this is correct
ALB distributes traffic evenly across instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Switch to a different Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with optimized performance.
Why it's wrong here
AMI change does not directly improve scalability.
- ✓
Launch the Auto Scaling group in multiple Availability Zones.
Why this is correct
Multi-AZ improves fault tolerance and scalability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the instance size to a larger type.
Why it's wrong here
Vertical scaling may not address the root cause of overload.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — study guide chapter
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure an Application Load Balancer in front of the Auto Scaling group. — Option B is correct because an Application Load Balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple EC2 instances, reducing load on individual instances and improving scalability. Option D is correct because launching instances in multiple Availability Zones increases fault tolerance and allows the Auto Scaling group to scale across zones, improving availability and performance during peak hours. Option A is incorrect because increasing desired capacity to a fixed value does not adapt to variable demand and may lead to overprovisioning. Option C is incorrect because changing the AMI does not address the root cause of overload; performance improvements from AMI changes are negligible compared to scaling. Option E is incorrect because increasing instance size (vertical scaling) has limits and does not provide the elasticity and cost-efficiency of horizontal scaling.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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