- A
Install the CloudWatch agent on each instance using SSM Run Command, configure the agent to collect disk metrics, and use CloudWatch cross-account observability to aggregate metrics from multiple accounts.
The CloudWatch agent collects custom metrics (e.g., disk space) and sends them to CloudWatch. SSM Run Command automates the installation. Cross-account observability allows a central monitoring account to view metrics from all member accounts.
- B
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instances, create a custom metric in CloudWatch for disk space, and use CloudWatch Logs to forward logs to a central account.
Why wrong: Detailed monitoring only increases the frequency of standard EC2 metrics (CPU, network). It does not provide OS-level disk space metrics. Custom metrics must be published by the CloudWatch agent or your own code.
- C
Use AWS Config to track disk space and send metrics to CloudWatch.
Why wrong: AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes, not OS-level metrics like disk space. It cannot collect disk utilization data.
- D
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to monitor disk space and send alerts via SNS.
Why wrong: AWS Trusted Advisor provides best practice checks but does not collect instance-level disk space. It checks for idle instances, underutilized EBS volumes, etc., but not disk usage.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 SysOps administrator needs to monitor Amazon EC2 instances for disk space usage. Disk space metrics are not available by default in Amazon CloudWatch. The administrator wants to collect disk space metrics from all EC2 instances across multiple AWS accounts and aggregate them in a single CloudWatch dashboard. Which combination of steps should the administrator take?
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
Install the CloudWatch agent on each instance using SSM Run Command, configure the agent to collect disk metrics, and use CloudWatch cross-account observability to aggregate metrics from multiple accounts.
Option A is correct because the CloudWatch agent is required to collect custom metrics like disk space from EC2 instances, as these are not available by default. SSM Run Command enables scalable, agentless installation across instances. CloudWatch cross-account observability allows you to aggregate metrics from multiple AWS accounts into a single monitoring account, meeting the requirement for a unified dashboard.
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.
- ✓
Install the CloudWatch agent on each instance using SSM Run Command, configure the agent to collect disk metrics, and use CloudWatch cross-account observability to aggregate metrics from multiple accounts.
Why this is correct
The CloudWatch agent collects custom metrics (e.g., disk space) and sends them to CloudWatch. SSM Run Command automates the installation. Cross-account observability allows a central monitoring account to view metrics from all member accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable detailed monitoring on the EC2 instances, create a custom metric in CloudWatch for disk space, and use CloudWatch Logs to forward logs to a central account.
Why it's wrong here
Detailed monitoring only increases the frequency of standard EC2 metrics (CPU, network). It does not provide OS-level disk space metrics. Custom metrics must be published by the CloudWatch agent or your own code.
- ✗
Use AWS Config to track disk space and send metrics to CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes, not OS-level metrics like disk space. It cannot collect disk utilization data.
- ✗
Use AWS Trusted Advisor to monitor disk space and send alerts via SNS.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Trusted Advisor provides best practice checks but does not collect instance-level disk space. It checks for idle instances, underutilized EBS volumes, etc., but not disk usage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume detailed monitoring or AWS Config can capture OS-level metrics like disk space, when in fact only an in-guest agent (CloudWatch agent) can collect such data, and cross-account aggregation requires a specific feature (cross-account observability) rather than simple log forwarding.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The CloudWatch agent uses the proc filesystem on Linux (e.g., /proc/diskstats) or Windows Performance Counters to collect disk metrics, then publishes them as custom metrics via the PutMetricData API. Cross-account observability relies on a monitoring account that can query metrics from source accounts using IAM roles and CloudWatch metric streams, enabling centralized dashboards without duplicating agent configurations.
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.
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Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
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: Install the CloudWatch agent on each instance using SSM Run Command, configure the agent to collect disk metrics, and use CloudWatch cross-account observability to aggregate metrics from multiple accounts. — Option A is correct because the CloudWatch agent is required to collect custom metrics like disk space from EC2 instances, as these are not available by default. SSM Run Command enables scalable, agentless installation across instances. CloudWatch cross-account observability allows you to aggregate metrics from multiple AWS accounts into a single monitoring account, meeting the requirement for a unified dashboard.
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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