Quick Answer
The answer is to add more EC2 instances to the target group. This design change directly reduces ALB latency by distributing incoming requests across a larger pool of targets, which lowers the RequestCount per individual instance and prevents resource saturation. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of horizontal scaling as a core elasticity principle—when latency spikes due to high per-target demand, scaling out EC2 capacity is the correct remedy, not scaling up instance size or adjusting the load balancer’s idle timeout. A common trap is confusing increased instance size (vertical scaling) with adding more instances; the exam emphasizes that spreading the load horizontally is the standard approach for reducing request queuing and response times. Memory tip: think “more hands make light work”—adding targets lightens each instance’s load, directly cutting latency.
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 web application on EC2 instances behind an ALB experiences increased latency during peak hours. The SysOps administrator notices that the ALB's RequestCount per target is high. What design change should improve performance?
Switch to a Network Load Balancer.
Why wrong: NLB operates at layer 4 but does not reduce latency caused by high request count per target.
Add more EC2 instances to the target group.
Correct. More instances reduce per-target load.
Enable sticky sessions on the ALB.
Why wrong: Sticky sessions may cause uneven distribution.
Reduce the idle timeout on the ALB.
Why wrong: Idle timeout terminates connections; does not improve latency.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Add more EC2 instances to the target group.
Increasing the number of targets (EC2 instances) spreads the load and reduces latency.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Switch to a Network Load Balancer.
Why it's wrong here
NLB operates at layer 4 but does not reduce latency caused by high request count per target.
Add more EC2 instances to the target group.
Why this is correct
Correct. More instances reduce per-target load.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable sticky sessions on the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
Sticky sessions may cause uneven distribution.
Reduce the idle timeout on the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
Idle timeout terminates connections; does not improve latency.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Identify which SOA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Add more EC2 instances to the target group. — Increasing the number of targets (EC2 instances) spreads the load and reduces latency.
Identify which SOA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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