Quick Answer
The answer is CPUUtilization, the standard CloudWatch metric for tracking EC2 CPU usage. This metric measures the percentage of allocated EC2 compute units currently in use, providing a direct view of processor activity without requiring any additional setup or agents. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that CPUUtilization is a default, out-of-the-box metric for all EC2 instances, unlike memory or disk metrics which require a custom CloudWatch agent. A common trap is confusing CPUUtilization with other default metrics like NetworkIn or DiskReadOps, which track different resources entirely. For SAP workloads on instances like r5.2xlarge, CPUUtilization is the correct choice because it reflects the instance’s compute load without needing extra configuration. Memory tip: think “CPU = Compute, always default” to remember that CPUUtilization is the only CPU-related metric automatically available in CloudWatch.
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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.
An AWS administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an EC2 instance running SAP NetWeaver. The instance type is r5.2xlarge. Which CloudWatch metric should the administrator use to track the CPU usage of the instance?
MemoryUtilization
Why wrong: Not a default EC2 metric; requires custom agent.
CPUUtilization
Default metric for CPU usage.
NetworkIn
Why wrong: Network traffic metric, not CPU.
DiskReadOps
Why wrong: Disk I/O metric, not CPU.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
CPUUtilization
Option A is correct because CPUUtilization is the standard metric for EC2 CPU usage. Option B is wrong because NetworkIn is network traffic. Option C is wrong because DiskReadOps is disk I/O. Option D is wrong because Memory utilization is not a default metric; it requires a custom agent.
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.
MemoryUtilization
Why it's wrong here
Not a default EC2 metric; requires custom agent.
CPUUtilization
Why this is correct
Default metric for CPU usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
NetworkIn
Why it's wrong here
Network traffic metric, not CPU.
DiskReadOps
Why it's wrong here
Disk I/O metric, not CPU.
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 PAS-C01 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.
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FAQ
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: CPUUtilization — Option A is correct because CPUUtilization is the standard metric for EC2 CPU usage. Option B is wrong because NetworkIn is network traffic. Option C is wrong because DiskReadOps is disk I/O. Option D is wrong because Memory utilization is not a default metric; it requires a custom agent.
Identify which PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 exam.
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