- A
Create a scheduled scaling action to add instances at peak times.
Why wrong: Scheduled scaling is for predictable traffic, not dynamic CPU.
- B
Create a simple scaling policy that adds one instance when CPU exceeds 50%.
Why wrong: Simple scaling is outdated; step scaling is recommended.
- C
Create a step scaling policy based on a CloudWatch alarm for CPU utilization.
Step scaling adjusts capacity based on alarm thresholds.
- D
Configure the ALB health check to mark instances unhealthy if CPU is high.
Why wrong: Health checks do not trigger scaling; they replace unhealthy instances.
Question 909 of 1,746
How to Configure Step Scaling Policy for CPU Utilization in Auto Scaling
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 deploying a web application on AWS that must scale automatically based on CPU utilization. The application runs on Amazon EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group. Which configuration is required for the Auto Scaling group to scale based on CPU?
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
✓
Create a step scaling policy based on a CloudWatch alarm for CPU utilization.
Option C is correct because a step scaling policy allows the Auto Scaling group to adjust capacity in increments based on the severity of a CloudWatch alarm, such as one monitoring CPU utilization. This provides more granular and responsive scaling than simple policies, as it can add or remove instances in steps (e.g., add 2 instances when CPU > 70%, add 1 when CPU > 50%) and supports cooldown and warm-up logic to avoid thrashing.
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.
- ✗
Create a scheduled scaling action to add instances at peak times.
Why it's wrong here
Scheduled scaling is for predictable traffic, not dynamic CPU.
- ✗
Create a simple scaling policy that adds one instance when CPU exceeds 50%.
Why it's wrong here
Simple scaling is outdated; step scaling is recommended.
- ✓
Create a step scaling policy based on a CloudWatch alarm for CPU utilization.
Why this is correct
Step scaling adjusts capacity based on alarm thresholds.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the ALB health check to mark instances unhealthy if CPU is high.
Why it's wrong here
Health checks do not trigger scaling; they replace unhealthy instances.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse simple scaling policies with step scaling policies, assuming any policy based on a CloudWatch alarm is sufficient, but simple scaling lacks the multi-step responsiveness needed for dynamic CPU-based scaling and can lead to under-provisioning during rapid load changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Step scaling policies use CloudWatch alarms with defined breach thresholds and adjustment steps, allowing for multiple capacity changes per alarm evaluation (e.g., add 2 instances for a high breach, 1 for a moderate breach). Under the hood, Auto Scaling evaluates the alarm state and applies the corresponding step adjustment, respecting warm-up times to prevent premature scaling of newly launched instances. A real-world scenario is an e-commerce site during a flash sale where CPU spikes sharply; step scaling can add multiple instances immediately for a high breach, while simple scaling would only add one and then wait, potentially causing performance degradation.
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.
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
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
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a step scaling policy based on a CloudWatch alarm for CPU utilization. — Option C is correct because a step scaling policy allows the Auto Scaling group to adjust capacity in increments based on the severity of a CloudWatch alarm, such as one monitoring CPU utilization. This provides more granular and responsive scaling than simple policies, as it can add or remove instances in steps (e.g., add 2 instances when CPU > 70%, add 1 when CPU > 50%) and supports cooldown and warm-up logic to avoid thrashing.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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