The answer is a canary deployment with AWS Lambda, which is the correct choice because it enables gradual traffic shifting by routing a specified percentage—such as 10%—to the new version at timed intervals while supporting automatic rollback if errors are detected. This approach directly satisfies the requirement for a controlled, incremental release where traffic moves in stages and any failure triggers an immediate reversal. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of Lambda deployment options and their native capabilities; a common trap is confusing canary with blue/green, which for Lambda requires additional services like AWS CodeDeploy, or with rolling updates that apply only to EC2 or ECS. Remember the key distinction: Lambda canary deployments handle both the traffic shifting and the rollback logic within the function configuration itself. A helpful memory tip is “Canary catches errors early”—just as a canary in a coal mine signals danger, this strategy shifts small traffic percentages to detect issues before full rollout.
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. 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.
A company needs to deploy a new version of a Lambda function. The deployment must be gradual, shifting 10% of traffic to the new version every 10 minutes until all traffic is served by the new version. If errors occur, the deployment should roll back immediately. Which deployment strategy should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Canary deployment with AWS Lambda
Option C is correct because Lambda canary deployments allow specifying traffic shifting and automatic rollback. Option A is wrong because blue/green is not natively supported for Lambda without additional services. Option B is wrong because rolling is for EC2/ECS. Option D is wrong because all-at-once is immediate, not gradual.
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.
✗
Blue/green deployment with AWS CodeDeploy
Why it's wrong here
CodeDeploy can manage Lambda deployments, but the question asks for a strategy supported by Lambda itself.
✗
All-at-once deployment
Why it's wrong here
This deploys the new version to all traffic at once, not gradually.
✗
Rolling deployment with Amazon ECS
Why it's wrong here
ECS is for containers, not Lambda.
✓
Canary deployment with AWS Lambda
Why this is correct
Lambda supports canary deployments with traffic shifting and automatic rollback.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 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. NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated. 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.
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 SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Canary deployment with AWS Lambda — Option C is correct because Lambda canary deployments allow specifying traffic shifting and automatic rollback. Option A is wrong because blue/green is not natively supported for Lambda without additional services. Option B is wrong because rolling is for EC2/ECS. Option D is wrong because all-at-once is immediate, not gradual.
What should I do if I get this SOA-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 SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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