← SOA-C02·Amazon Web Services

Question 353 of 1,546

Cost and Performance Optimization →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct answer is to use AWS Config with auto-remediation for new instances and the Tag Editor with a CSV import for existing ones. This combination works because AWS Config can enforce cost allocation tags on EC2 instances at launch through a managed rule like "required-tags," triggering a Lambda function or SSM document to automatically apply the ProjectID and Department tags before the instance becomes operational, ensuring compliance without manual intervention. For existing untagged resources, the Tag Editor allows bulk tagging across multiple accounts and regions via a CSV file, minimizing overhead. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of automated governance versus manual remediation—a common trap is choosing AWS Organizations or Service Catalog, which lack real-time enforcement for existing instances. Remember the mnemonic "Config for compliance, Tag Editor for cleanup" to distinguish the two approaches.

SOA-C02 Cost and Performance Optimization Practice Question

This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cost and performance optimization. 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 large number of EC2 instances across multiple accounts and regions. The finance team needs to track costs per project and department. Each EC2 instance must be tagged with a ProjectID and Department tag. A SysOps administrator needs to ensure that all newly launched EC2 instances are tagged automatically before they can be used, and that existing untagged instances are retroactively tagged. The tags must be propagated to cost reports in AWS Cost Explorer. Which combination of steps will achieve this with the least operational overhead?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Read the full NAT/PAT explanation →

A
Use AWS Config with auto-remediation to tag new instances, and activate the tags as cost allocation tags. For existing instances, run the Tag Editor with a CSV import.
Correct. AWS Config auto-remediation tags non-compliant new instances; Tag Editor bulk-tags existing instances; activation in Billing console propagates tags to cost reports.
B
Create an AWS Lambda function that tags instances at launch via CloudTrail events, and use AWS Budgets to enforce tagging.
Why wrong: Incorrect. AWS Budgets cannot enforce tagging; they only alert on cost. Lambda solution is more complex than Config auto-remediation.
C
Use AWS Cost Categories to automatically group costs based on resource tags.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Cost Categories do not tag resources; they organize costs after tagging exists.
D
Ensure all AMIs used have tags that propagate to instances, and enable cost allocation tags.
Why wrong: Incorrect. AMI tags do not propagate to launched instances; each instance must be tagged individually.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Use AWS Config with auto-remediation to tag new instances, and activate the tags as cost allocation tags. For existing instances, run the Tag Editor with a CSV import.

Option A is correct because AWS Config with auto-remediation can automatically tag newly launched EC2 instances using a custom Lambda function or SSM document triggered by a Config rule (e.g., 'required-tags'), ensuring compliance before instances are used. Activating the tags as cost allocation tags in AWS Cost Explorer allows the tags to appear in cost reports. For existing untagged instances, the Tag Editor with a CSV import provides a bulk, low-overhead method to retroactively apply tags across accounts and regions.

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.

✓
Use AWS Config with auto-remediation to tag new instances, and activate the tags as cost allocation tags. For existing instances, run the Tag Editor with a CSV import.
Why this is correct
Correct. AWS Config auto-remediation tags non-compliant new instances; Tag Editor bulk-tags existing instances; activation in Billing console propagates tags to cost reports.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create an AWS Lambda function that tags instances at launch via CloudTrail events, and use AWS Budgets to enforce tagging.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AWS Budgets cannot enforce tagging; they only alert on cost. Lambda solution is more complex than Config auto-remediation.
✗
Use AWS Cost Categories to automatically group costs based on resource tags.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Cost Categories do not tag resources; they organize costs after tagging exists.
✗
Ensure all AMIs used have tags that propagate to instances, and enable cost allocation tags.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AMI tags do not propagate to launched instances; each instance must be tagged individually.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates may assume AMI tags propagate to instances or that AWS Budgets can enforce tagging, but neither is true; the correct approach requires a combination of proactive enforcement (Config auto-remediation) and retroactive bulk tagging (Tag Editor).

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

AWS Config's managed rule 'required-tags' can evaluate resources against a tag key-value pair and trigger an auto-remediation action via AWS Systems Manager Automation or a custom Lambda function, which applies the missing tags. The Tag Editor is a global tool that can search for untagged resources across multiple accounts and regions, and export/import a CSV to apply tags in bulk. Cost allocation tags must be explicitly activated in the Billing and Cost Management console; tags are not automatically propagated to Cost Explorer until activated, and activation can take up to 24 hours to reflect in reports.

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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.

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.

Related SOA-C02 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.

Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.

Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.

Security and Compliance practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.

Networking and Content Delivery practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.

Cost and Performance Optimization practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.

SOA-C02 fundamentals practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.

SOA-C02 scenario practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.

SOA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free SOA-C02 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

SOA-C02 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this SOA-C02 question test?

Cost and Performance Optimization — This question tests Cost and Performance Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Use AWS Config with auto-remediation to tag new instances, and activate the tags as cost allocation tags. For existing instances, run the Tag Editor with a CSV import. — Option A is correct because AWS Config with auto-remediation can automatically tag newly launched EC2 instances using a custom Lambda function or SSM document triggered by a Config rule (e.g., 'required-tags'), ensuring compliance before instances are used. Activating the tags as cost allocation tags in AWS Cost Explorer allows the tags to appear in cost reports. For existing untagged instances, the Tag Editor with a CSV import provides a bulk, low-overhead method to retroactively apply tags across accounts and regions.

What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.