Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →Network Topology
- A
OK
Why wrong: Threshold is breached.
- B
ALARM
2 consecutive periods of breaching threshold.
- C
INSUFFICIENT_DATA
Why wrong: Sufficient data exists.
- D
ERROR
Why wrong: Not a valid state.
Question 1,122 of 1,746
Quick Answer
The answer is ALARM. This is because CloudWatch alarm evaluation periods determine how many consecutive data points must breach a threshold before the state changes, and here the EC2 instance’s CPU utilization averaged 85% for the last 10 minutes—exceeding a typical 80% threshold across the specified evaluation periods, which triggers the ALARM state. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how CloudWatch aggregates metric data over evaluation periods and transitions states based on sustained breaches, not single spikes. A common trap is confusing the number of evaluation periods with the total duration; remember that the alarm evaluates each period independently, and all must be in breach to move to ALARM. Memory tip: think “three strikes, you’re out”—each evaluation period is a strike, and the alarm only fires when every period in the window is a breach.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new 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.
Network Topology
The above CLI output shows the state of a CloudWatch alarm. The EC2 instance's CPU utilization averaged 85% for the last 10 minutes. What is the alarm state?
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
✓
ALARM
The CLI output indicates that the alarm state is 'ALARM' because the EC2 instance's CPU utilization averaged 85% for the last 10 minutes, which exceeds the alarm threshold (typically set at, for example, 80% for a standard CPU utilization alarm). CloudWatch alarms transition to ALARM when the metric breaches the threshold for the specified evaluation periods, and here the sustained high utilization over the 10-minute window meets that condition.
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.
- ✗
OK
Why it's wrong here
Threshold is breached.
- ✓
ALARM
Why this is correct
2 consecutive periods of breaching threshold.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
INSUFFICIENT_DATA
Why it's wrong here
Sufficient data exists.
- ✗
ERROR
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid state.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the alarm state with the metric value itself, assuming that a high metric value automatically means ALARM, but they must verify that the threshold and evaluation periods are met; however, in this case, the CLI explicitly shows the state as ALARM, so the answer is straightforward.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudWatch alarms evaluate metrics based on a specified statistic (e.g., Average) over a period (e.g., 1 minute) and number of evaluation periods (e.g., 10 of 10). The alarm transitions to ALARM when the metric breaches the threshold for the configured datapoints to alarm (e.g., 10 out of 10 consecutive periods). In this scenario, the 85% average over 10 minutes implies all 10 data points exceeded the threshold, triggering ALARM. A real-world nuance: if the alarm uses 'Missing data treatment' set to 'breaching', missing points could artificially trigger ALARM, but here data is present.
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
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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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Design for New Solutions practice questions
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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: ALARM — The CLI output indicates that the alarm state is 'ALARM' because the EC2 instance's CPU utilization averaged 85% for the last 10 minutes, which exceeds the alarm threshold (typically set at, for example, 80% for a standard CPU utilization alarm). CloudWatch alarms transition to ALARM when the metric breaches the threshold for the specified evaluation periods, and here the sustained high utilization over the 10-minute window meets that condition.
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: Jun 24, 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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