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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. A key principle to apply: cloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.. 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 the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance fleet and send an alert when the average CPU utilization exceeds 80% for 10 consecutive minutes. The administrator also wants to automatically stop the instance if the CPU utilization remains above 90% for 30 minutes to prevent runaway costs. Which combination of AWS services should be used?

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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

✓

Amazon CloudWatch alarm + Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) + AWS Lambda

Option B is correct because it uses Amazon CloudWatch alarms to monitor CPU utilization metrics and trigger an SNS topic, which then invokes an AWS Lambda function. The Lambda function can execute the logic to stop the EC2 instance when the alarm state indicates CPU utilization above 90% for 30 minutes, providing automated cost control without manual intervention.

Key principle: CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    Amazon CloudWatch alarm + AWS Lambda + AWS Systems Manager Automation

    Why it's wrong here

    While this combination could work, it is more complex than necessary. Systems Manager Automation is typically used for multi-step runbooks; for a simple stop action, Lambda with the EC2 stop API is sufficient and more straightforward.

  • ✓

    Amazon CloudWatch alarm + Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) + AWS Lambda

    Why this is correct

    A CloudWatch alarm monitors the CPU metric and publishes to an SNS topic when the threshold is breached. The SNS topic triggers a Lambda function that calls the EC2 StopInstances API to stop the instance. This is a clean, low-overhead solution.

    Related concept

    CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.

  • ✗

    Amazon CloudWatch Logs + Amazon EventBridge + AWS Step Functions

    Why it's wrong here

    CPU utilization is a metric, not a log. CloudWatch Logs is for log data, not metrics. EventBridge can trigger on metric alarms, but Step Functions is an orchestration service that adds unnecessary complexity for a simple stop action.

  • ✗

    AWS CloudTrail + Amazon EventBridge + AWS CodePipeline

    Why it's wrong here

    CloudTrail logs API actions, not CPU metrics. CodePipeline is a CI/CD service. This combination is not appropriate for monitoring and stopping instances based on CPU utilization.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates may assume Systems Manager Automation (Option A) is required for instance stop actions, but Lambda is simpler and directly triggered by SNS, while Automation is better suited for complex multi-step workflows like patching or AMI creation.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, CloudWatch alarms evaluate metric streams (e.g., AWS/EC2 CPUUtilization) over a specified period (e.g., 30 minutes) using a statistic like Average. When the alarm enters ALARM state, it publishes to an SNS topic, which asynchronously invokes a Lambda function via a subscription. The Lambda function uses the EC2 StopInstances API call, which requires IAM permissions (ec2:StopInstances) and can be scoped to specific instance IDs or tags. A subtle behavior: the alarm must be configured with a period and evaluation periods that match the 30-minute duration (e.g., period=300 seconds, evaluation periods=6) to avoid false triggers from short spikes.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.
  • SNS topics can fan out messages from CloudWatch alarms to multiple subscribers.
  • Lambda functions can execute code in response to SNS messages, including calling AWS APIs.
  • Lambda functions require IAM permissions to perform actions like stopping EC2 instances.

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

CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.

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.

Review cloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.

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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 — CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Amazon CloudWatch alarm + Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) + AWS Lambda — Option B is correct because it uses Amazon CloudWatch alarms to monitor CPU utilization metrics and trigger an SNS topic, which then invokes an AWS Lambda function. The Lambda function can execute the logic to stop the EC2 instance when the alarm state indicates CPU utilization above 90% for 30 minutes, providing automated cost control without manual intervention.

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

Review cloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.

What is the key concept behind this question?

CloudWatch alarms monitor metrics and trigger actions based on thresholds.

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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026

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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.