- A
Rolling update
Why wrong: A rolling update replaces instances in batches, but it does not create a full parallel environment. Rollback requires re-running the previous deployment, which is not instantaneous.
- B
Blue/green deployment
Blue/green deployments involve provisioning a new set of instances, testing them, and then switching traffic at the load balancer or DNS level. This provides zero downtime and instant rollback if the new environment fails.
- C
All at once deployment
Why wrong: The 'AllAtOnce' configuration stops all existing instances and starts new ones simultaneously, causing downtime during the transition.
- D
Canary deployment
Why wrong: A canary deployment routes a small percentage of traffic to the new version initially, then gradually increases it. While it reduces risk, it does not provide an instant full rollback like blue/green, and the rollout process is slower.
Quick Answer
The answer is a blue/green deployment. This configuration is correct because it provisions a parallel green environment of new EC2 instances alongside the existing blue environment, shifts traffic gradually only after health checks pass, and enables instant rollback by simply rerouting traffic back to the original blue instances. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of deployment strategies that achieve zero downtime, often contrasting blue/green with in-place rolling updates or canary deployments. A common trap is confusing blue/green with a canary deployment—remember that blue/green uses two full, isolated environments, while canary shifts only a small percentage of traffic. For the exam, think of the memory tip: “Blue is old, green is new; flip the switch to undo.”
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses AWS CodeDeploy to deploy a web application to a fleet of Amazon EC2 instances. The SysOps administrator needs to implement a deployment strategy that ensures zero downtime by creating a new set of instances alongside the current ones, then gradually shifting traffic to the new instances after they pass health checks. If a problem is detected, traffic can be instantly redirected back to the original instances. Which deployment configuration should the administrator use?
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
Blue/green deployment
Blue/green deployment is the correct choice because it creates a completely new set of instances (green environment) alongside the existing ones (blue environment), shifts traffic gradually to the new instances after health checks pass, and allows instant rollback by redirecting traffic back to the original instances. AWS CodeDeploy supports this strategy natively with a blue/green deployment configuration, ensuring zero downtime during the transition.
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.
- ✗
Rolling update
Why it's wrong here
A rolling update replaces instances in batches, but it does not create a full parallel environment. Rollback requires re-running the previous deployment, which is not instantaneous.
- ✓
Blue/green deployment
Why this is correct
Blue/green deployments involve provisioning a new set of instances, testing them, and then switching traffic at the load balancer or DNS level. This provides zero downtime and instant rollback if the new environment fails.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
All at once deployment
Why it's wrong here
The 'AllAtOnce' configuration stops all existing instances and starts new ones simultaneously, causing downtime during the transition.
- ✗
Canary deployment
Why it's wrong here
A canary deployment routes a small percentage of traffic to the new version initially, then gradually increases it. While it reduces risk, it does not provide an instant full rollback like blue/green, and the rollout process is slower.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse canary deployments with blue/green deployments, but canary deployments do not create a full parallel environment and lack the instant, full-traffic rollback capability that blue/green provides.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In AWS CodeDeploy, a blue/green deployment uses an Auto Scaling group or a manually defined set of instances for the green environment, and traffic is shifted using an Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) or a target group. The deployment can be configured to shift traffic all at once or gradually (e.g., 10% every 5 minutes), and if health checks fail, the deployment can be automatically rolled back by rerouting traffic to the blue environment. This approach leverages the ELB's ability to register and deregister targets instantly, enabling near-instantaneous rollback without any code changes.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Blue/green deployment — Blue/green deployment is the correct choice because it creates a completely new set of instances (green environment) alongside the existing ones (blue environment), shifts traffic gradually to the new instances after health checks pass, and allows instant rollback by redirecting traffic back to the original instances. AWS CodeDeploy supports this strategy natively with a blue/green deployment configuration, ensuring zero downtime during the transition.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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