- A
AWS Cost Explorer
Why wrong: Cost Explorer provides cost and usage data and has rightsizing recommendations based on CloudWatch metrics, but it is less specialized than Compute Optimizer for this specific requirement. Compute Optimizer is the primary service for rightsizing.
- B
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: Trusted Advisor checks for idle instances and other cost optimization opportunities but does not provide detailed rightsizing recommendations based on historical utilization.
- C
AWS Compute Optimizer
Compute Optimizer uses machine learning to analyze historical utilization (CPU, memory, network) and delivers instance type and size recommendations that reduce costs and improve performance.
- D
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls for auditing and security, not for resource optimization recommendations.
SOA-C02 Cost and Performance Optimization Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cost and performance optimization. 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 wants to identify Amazon EC2 instances that are underutilized to reduce costs. The administrator needs recommendations for rightsizing instances based on historical CPU and memory usage. Which AWS service provides these recommendations?
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
AWS Compute Optimizer
AWS Compute Optimizer is the correct service because it analyzes historical utilization metrics (CPU, memory, I/O, and network throughput) from Amazon CloudWatch and generates rightsizing recommendations for EC2 instances. It uses machine learning to identify underutilized instances and suggests instance types that better match workload requirements, directly addressing the need to reduce costs through rightsizing.
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.
- ✗
AWS Cost Explorer
Why it's wrong here
Cost Explorer provides cost and usage data and has rightsizing recommendations based on CloudWatch metrics, but it is less specialized than Compute Optimizer for this specific requirement. Compute Optimizer is the primary service for rightsizing.
- ✗
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Trusted Advisor checks for idle instances and other cost optimization opportunities but does not provide detailed rightsizing recommendations based on historical utilization.
- ✓
AWS Compute Optimizer
Why this is correct
Compute Optimizer uses machine learning to analyze historical utilization (CPU, memory, network) and delivers instance type and size recommendations that reduce costs and improve performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls for auditing and security, not for resource optimization recommendations.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Trusted Advisor's cost checks (like idle instances) with Compute Optimizer's rightsizing recommendations, but Trusted Advisor does not analyze historical CPU and memory usage for instance type changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Compute Optimizer ingests CloudWatch metrics at a 5-minute granularity over the past 14 days (or longer with enhanced infrastructure metrics) and applies machine learning models to detect patterns like sustained low CPU or memory usage. It categorizes findings as 'Under-provisioned,' 'Over-provisioned,' or 'Optimized' and provides estimated monthly savings in USD. For memory-based recommendations, Compute Optimizer relies on the CloudWatch agent emitting the mem_used_percent metric, which must be explicitly configured.
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 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Cost and Performance Optimization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Cost and Performance Optimization — This question tests Cost and Performance Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Compute Optimizer — AWS Compute Optimizer is the correct service because it analyzes historical utilization metrics (CPU, memory, I/O, and network throughput) from Amazon CloudWatch and generates rightsizing recommendations for EC2 instances. It uses machine learning to identify underutilized instances and suggests instance types that better match workload requirements, directly addressing the need to reduce costs through rightsizing.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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