- A
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an AWS Systems Manager Automation document to restart the instance.
Why wrong: This is more complex than necessary. CloudWatch alarm can directly perform EC2 actions without invoking SSM.
- B
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an EC2 Reboot Instances action.
CloudWatch alarms support EC2 actions including reboot, which is the simplest way to restart the instance based on a metric.
- C
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then use Amazon CloudWatch Events (Amazon EventBridge) to trigger an AWS Lambda function that restarts the instance.
Why wrong: This can work but adds overhead of a Lambda function. The native EC2 action target is more straightforward.
- D
Use Amazon CloudWatch Synthetics canary to monitor the logs and automatically stop the instance.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Synthetics is used for monitoring web endpoints, not for log content analysis, and cannot stop instances directly.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 SysOps administrator needs to monitor application logs stored in Amazon CloudWatch Logs for the term 'CRITICAL'. When more than 5 'CRITICAL' entries appear in a 5-minute window, the administrator wants to automatically restart the underlying Amazon EC2 instance. Which solution should the administrator implement?
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
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an EC2 Reboot Instances action.
Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs metric filters can count occurrences of the term 'CRITICAL' in log data, and a CloudWatch alarm can be configured to trigger an EC2 Reboot Instances action directly when the metric exceeds a threshold of 5 in a 5-minute period. This provides a native, simple, and fully managed solution without requiring additional services like Lambda or Systems Manager.
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.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an AWS Systems Manager Automation document to restart the instance.
Why it's wrong here
This is more complex than necessary. CloudWatch alarm can directly perform EC2 actions without invoking SSM.
- ✓
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an EC2 Reboot Instances action.
Why this is correct
CloudWatch alarms support EC2 actions including reboot, which is the simplest way to restart the instance based on a metric.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then use Amazon CloudWatch Events (Amazon EventBridge) to trigger an AWS Lambda function that restarts the instance.
Why it's wrong here
This can work but adds overhead of a Lambda function. The native EC2 action target is more straightforward.
- ✗
Use Amazon CloudWatch Synthetics canary to monitor the logs and automatically stop the instance.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Synthetics is used for monitoring web endpoints, not for log content analysis, and cannot stop instances directly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overcomplicate the solution by choosing Lambda or Systems Manager, not realizing that CloudWatch alarms have a built-in EC2 action for reboot, stop, terminate, or recover, which is the simplest and most cost-effective method for this use case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudWatch Logs metric filters work by scanning log events in real time and incrementing a custom metric for each occurrence of a pattern (e.g., 'CRITICAL'). The CloudWatch alarm then evaluates the metric over a specified period (e.g., 5 minutes) and, when the threshold is breached, directly triggers the EC2 Reboot Instances action via the Amazon CloudWatch Alarm Actions feature, which uses the AWS API to send a reboot command to the instance. This approach is stateless and requires no additional infrastructure, making it ideal for simple automated remediation.
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
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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: Create a CloudWatch Logs metric filter, then a CloudWatch alarm that triggers an EC2 Reboot Instances action. — Option B is correct because CloudWatch Logs metric filters can count occurrences of the term 'CRITICAL' in log data, and a CloudWatch alarm can be configured to trigger an EC2 Reboot Instances action directly when the metric exceeds a threshold of 5 in a 5-minute period. This provides a native, simple, and fully managed solution without requiring additional services like Lambda or Systems Manager.
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
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