The answer is to change the instance type to c5.large, which provides dedicated CPU performance. This is correct because a t3.medium is a burstable EC2 instance that relies on CPU credits to handle spikes in demand; when those credits are exhausted, the instance is throttled to its baseline performance, causing high CPU utilization and slow application response despite low disk I/O. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of burstable vs. dedicated instance families and how to troubleshoot CPU credit exhaustion. A common trap is to assume that scaling storage or adding memory will fix a CPU-bound bottleneck, but the key indicator is high CPU with low I/O—meaning the CPU is the constraint. Memory tip: "Burstable burns credits; dedicated delivers consistently"—if you see high CPU and low disk, think credits first.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 SysOps administrator is troubleshooting a slow-running application on an EC2 instance. CloudWatch metrics show high CPU utilization but low disk I/O. The instance type is t3.medium. Which action would most likely improve performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change the instance type to c5.large, which provides dedicated CPU performance.
The t3.medium is a burstable instance that relies on CPU credits. High CPU utilization with low disk I/O indicates the application is CPU-bound and the instance has likely exhausted its CPU credits, causing performance throttling. Changing to a c5.large provides dedicated, consistent CPU performance without credit-based limitations, directly addressing the bottleneck.
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.
✓
Change the instance type to c5.large, which provides dedicated CPU performance.
Why this is correct
c5 instances are compute-optimized and do not rely on CPU credits, providing consistent performance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the instance memory by changing to r5.large.
Why it's wrong here
Memory is not indicated as an issue; the problem is CPU performance.
✗
Enable EBS-optimized on the instance and use provisioned IOPS SSD volumes.
Why it's wrong here
The bottleneck is CPU, not disk; this would not address high CPU utilization.
✗
Increase the size of the EBS volume to improve disk throughput.
Why it's wrong here
Disk I/O is not the bottleneck; increasing volume size may not help CPU performance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may focus on disk or memory improvements because the application is 'slow,' but the CloudWatch metrics clearly point to a CPU bottleneck, and the t3 family's credit-based performance model is a common exam pitfall.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
T3 instances use a CPU credit mechanism where each vCPU earns credits at a baseline rate (e.g., t3.medium earns 24 credits/hour) and can burst above baseline by spending accrued credits. Once credits are exhausted, the instance is throttled to the baseline (20% for t3.medium), causing high CPU utilization but low performance. C5 instances use Intel Xeon Scalable processors with dedicated vCPUs, eliminating credit-based throttling and providing consistent performance for CPU-bound workloads.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the instance type to c5.large, which provides dedicated CPU performance. — The t3.medium is a burstable instance that relies on CPU credits. High CPU utilization with low disk I/O indicates the application is CPU-bound and the instance has likely exhausted its CPU credits, causing performance throttling. Changing to a c5.large provides dedicated, consistent CPU performance without credit-based limitations, directly addressing the bottleneck.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 →
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.
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
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.
Sign in to join the discussion.