The answer is to copy the AMI and underlying EBS snapshots to the DR region. This is the most efficient approach for cross-region disaster recovery for EC2 with EBS snapshot copy because EBS snapshots and AMIs are regional resources—they exist only in the source Region and cannot be used directly in another Region. By copying the AMI and its associated snapshots to the target Region, you ensure the full instance configuration and the 1 TB database volume are available to launch a new EC2 instance there, meeting the 4-hour RTO. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that sharing an AMI (Option A) does not copy it across Regions, and that snapshots are not global (Option B). A common trap is assuming AWS Backup is faster, but the manual copy process is essentially the same. Memory tip: AMIs and snapshots are regional, so to go cross-region, you must copy, not share.
SOA-C02 Reliability and Business Continuity Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of reliability and business continuity. 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 runs a critical database on an EC2 instance with an EBS volume. The administrator wants to create a disaster recovery plan that can recover the database in a different AWS Region within 4 hours. The database size is 1 TB. What is the MOST efficient approach to meet the RTO?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Copy the AMI and underlying EBS snapshots to the DR region.
Option D is correct because copying the AMI and snapshot to another region allows launching an instance there. Option A is incorrect because sharing does not copy to another region. Option B is incorrect because EBS snapshots are regional, not global. Option C is incorrect because AWS Backup can copy to another region, but the process is similar to manual copy; however, the key is to have the AMI/snapshot available in the DR region.
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.
✗
Share the AMI with the target region.
Why it's wrong here
Sharing does not copy the AMI; it only allows other accounts to use it in the same region.
✓
Copy the AMI and underlying EBS snapshots to the DR region.
Why this is correct
Copying the AMI and snapshots to the DR region allows launching an instance in that region, meeting the RTO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use EBS snapshots directly in the DR region.
Why it's wrong here
EBS snapshots are specific to a region; they cannot be used directly in another region.
✗
Configure AWS Backup to copy backups to the DR region.
Why it's wrong here
While AWS Backup can copy backups, the question asks for the most efficient approach; copying the AMI and snapshot is the standard method.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 SOA-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.
Reliability and Business Continuity — This question tests Reliability and Business Continuity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Copy the AMI and underlying EBS snapshots to the DR region. — Option D is correct because copying the AMI and snapshot to another region allows launching an instance there. Option A is incorrect because sharing does not copy to another region. Option B is incorrect because EBS snapshots are regional, not global. Option C is incorrect because AWS Backup can copy to another region, but the process is similar to manual copy; however, the key is to have the AMI/snapshot available in the DR region.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SOA-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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
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