The correct answer is to keep the stopped EC2 instance to avoid compute charges, as only storage costs apply. When an EC2 instance is in the stopped state, you are no longer billed for instance usage or any associated CPU, memory, or networking resources, but you continue to incur charges for any attached EBS volumes and their provisioned IOPS or snapshots. This concept directly tests your understanding of the AWS shared responsibility model and billing granularity for the SAP-C02 exam, where cost optimization scenarios often present a trap: candidates may mistakenly choose to terminate the instance to eliminate all costs, but that would delete the instance and its data, while starting or hibernating would reintroduce compute charges. A common memory tip is “Stop saves compute, but storage stays on the bill”—if you only need to pause work temporarily, stopping is the cheapest option without losing the instance configuration.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. 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. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A solutions architect runs the AWS CLI command and receives the output shown. The instance was stopped 2 hours ago. The company wants to minimize costs. What should the architect do next?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Keep the instance stopped; only storage costs apply.
A stopped instance incurs charges for attached EBS volumes, but not for the instance itself. Option A is wrong because termination would delete the instance. Option B is wrong because hibernation is not possible from stopped state. Option D is wrong because starting the instance incurs costs.
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
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Keep the instance stopped; only storage costs apply.
Why this is correct
Stopped instances incur only EBS storage costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Terminate the instance to avoid any further charges.
Why it's wrong here
Termination deletes the instance and attached volumes, but the company may want to retain data.
✗
Start the instance to verify it works.
Why it's wrong here
Starting the instance would incur compute costs.
✗
Hibernate the instance to save memory state.
Why it's wrong here
Hibernation is only possible from running state.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
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.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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
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.
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.
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Keep the instance stopped; only storage costs apply. — A stopped instance incurs charges for attached EBS volumes, but not for the instance itself. Option A is wrong because termination would delete the instance. Option B is wrong because hibernation is not possible from stopped state. Option D is wrong because starting the instance incurs costs.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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