The answer is to use an Application Load Balancer with blue/green deployment via AWS CodeDeploy and ECS. This approach is correct because it enables you to migrate from a monolith to ECS with minimal downtime by running the new containerized version (green) alongside the old EC2 instance (blue) and gradually shifting traffic through the ALB, allowing instant rollback if issues arise. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of deployment strategies for critical workloads, where the common trap is choosing a lift-and-shift migration that risks downtime or overcomplicating with a separate cluster. The key concept is that blue/green deployments decouple release from traffic switching, ensuring high availability during the transition. Memory tip: think “Blue is old, Green is new, ALB switches the queue.”
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
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 monolithic application on a single EC2 instance. The application is critical and must be highly available. The company wants to migrate to a containerized architecture on Amazon ECS with minimal downtime. Which approach should the company take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an Application Load Balancer with blue/green deployment using AWS CodeDeploy and ECS.
Option D is correct because a blue/green deployment with ECS minimizes downtime by switching traffic gradually. Option A is wrong because migrating all at once risks downtime. Option B is wrong because launching a separate ECS cluster adds complexity. Option C is wrong because CodeStar is not a deployment strategy.
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.
✗
Launch a new ECS cluster with the containerized application and use Route 53 weighted routing to shift traffic.
Why it's wrong here
This approach adds complexity and does not leverage ECS deployment features.
✗
Deploy the monolith as a single task in ECS and update the task definition with new container versions.
Why it's wrong here
This does not guarantee minimal downtime; rolling updates may cause brief interruptions.
✗
Use AWS CodeStar to automatically deploy the application to ECS with blue/green deployments.
Why it's wrong here
CodeStar is a project management tool, not a deployment strategy.
✓
Use an Application Load Balancer with blue/green deployment using AWS CodeDeploy and ECS.
Why this is correct
CodeDeploy with ECS supports blue/green deployments for minimal downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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.
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.
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: Use an Application Load Balancer with blue/green deployment using AWS CodeDeploy and ECS. — Option D is correct because a blue/green deployment with ECS minimizes downtime by switching traffic gradually. Option A is wrong because migrating all at once risks downtime. Option B is wrong because launching a separate ECS cluster adds complexity. Option C is wrong because CodeStar is not a deployment strategy.
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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Question Discussion
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