Quick Answer
The correct answer is AWS Cloud Map, Amazon API Gateway, and Application Load Balancer (ALB). AWS Cloud Map handles dynamic service discovery by maintaining a real-time registry of microservice instances, while API Gateway provides robust API management features like authentication, throttling, and versioning, and ALB routes incoming traffic to the appropriate targets based on the discovered endpoints. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this combination tests your understanding of how to decouple service registration from DNS-based lookups—a common trap is confusing Route 53’s DNS resolution with Cloud Map’s service discovery, which is designed for ephemeral microservice environments. Remember that Cloud Map is purpose-built for service discovery, not general DNS, and that VPC Lattice is for internal service-to-service communication, not external API management. A useful memory tip: think of Cloud Map as the “phonebook,” API Gateway as the “front desk,” and ALB as the “hallway router” for your microservices.
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new 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. 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 is designing a new microservices architecture that requires service discovery and API management. Which THREE services can be used together to achieve this? (Choose THREE.)
Amazon Route 53
Why wrong: Route 53 is DNS, not service discovery.
Amazon API Gateway
API Gateway creates and manages APIs.
Application Load Balancer
ALB can route traffic to microservices.
Amazon VPC Lattice
Why wrong: VPC Lattice is for service connectivity, not API management.
AWS Cloud Map
Cloud Map provides service discovery for microservices.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon API Gateway
Options A, C, and D are correct. AWS Cloud Map provides service discovery, API Gateway manages APIs, and ALB can route traffic. Option B is wrong because Route 53 is DNS, not service discovery. Option E is wrong because VPC Lattice is for service-to-service communication, not API management.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Amazon Route 53
Why it's wrong here
Route 53 is DNS, not service discovery.
Amazon API Gateway
Why this is correct
API Gateway creates and manages APIs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Application Load Balancer
Why this is correct
ALB can route traffic to microservices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon VPC Lattice
Why it's wrong here
VPC Lattice is for service connectivity, not API management.
AWS Cloud Map
Why this is correct
Cloud Map provides service discovery for microservices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
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.
Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon API Gateway — Options A, C, and D are correct. AWS Cloud Map provides service discovery, API Gateway manages APIs, and ALB can route traffic. Option B is wrong because Route 53 is DNS, not service discovery. Option E is wrong because VPC Lattice is for service-to-service communication, not API management.
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.
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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