- A
Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filter
Why wrong: A metric filter would be used if the failed login data were in log files. In this scenario, the metric is already published as a CloudWatch metric, so no metric filter is needed.
- B
Amazon CloudWatch alarm
A CloudWatch alarm can monitor any CloudWatch metric (including custom ones) and trigger an action, such as sending a message to an SNS topic, when the metric crosses a defined threshold.
- C
Amazon CloudWatch dashboard
Why wrong: A CloudWatch dashboard provides a visual representation of metrics but does not have built-in alerting capabilities. It cannot trigger SNS notifications.
- D
AWS Config rule
Why wrong: AWS Config rules evaluate the configuration of AWS resources against desired policies, not real-time metric values. They are not designed for monitoring application-level metrics.
Quick Answer
The answer is an Amazon CloudWatch alarm. This is the correct choice because a CloudWatch alarm is specifically designed to monitor a custom metric like 'FailedLoginAttempts' and trigger an action—such as publishing to an Amazon SNS topic—when the metric crosses a defined threshold over a specified period. In this scenario, the alarm evaluates the sum of the metric over a 5-minute window and, upon breaching the threshold of 100, sends the notification directly to the SysOps administrator. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of how CloudWatch alarms bridge metric monitoring with automated responses, often appearing as a straightforward scenario where you must distinguish an alarm from other services like EventBridge or Lambda. A common trap is confusing CloudWatch Logs or dashboards for alarm actions; remember that only an alarm can evaluate a metric and trigger SNS. Memory tip: "Alarm = Metric + Threshold + Action" — think of it as a tripwire for your custom data.
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 web application publishes a custom metric 'FailedLoginAttempts' to Amazon CloudWatch. The SysOps administrator needs to be notified via Amazon SNS when the number of failed login attempts exceeds 100 within a 5-minute period. Which AWS service or feature should be used to create this notification?
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
An Amazon CloudWatch alarm is the correct service because it monitors a specific CloudWatch metric (such as 'FailedLoginAttempts') and triggers an action (such as sending an SNS notification) when the metric crosses a defined threshold over a specified period. In this case, the alarm evaluates whether the sum of 'FailedLoginAttempts' exceeds 100 within a 5-minute period, and upon breaching, it publishes to the SNS topic to notify the SysOps administrator.
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.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch Logs metric filter
Why it's wrong here
A metric filter would be used if the failed login data were in log files. In this scenario, the metric is already published as a CloudWatch metric, so no metric filter is needed.
- ✓
Amazon CloudWatch alarm
Why this is correct
A CloudWatch alarm can monitor any CloudWatch metric (including custom ones) and trigger an action, such as sending a message to an SNS topic, when the metric crosses a defined threshold.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch dashboard
Why it's wrong here
A CloudWatch dashboard provides a visual representation of metrics but does not have built-in alerting capabilities. It cannot trigger SNS notifications.
- ✗
AWS Config rule
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config rules evaluate the configuration of AWS resources against desired policies, not real-time metric values. They are not designed for monitoring application-level metrics.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse CloudWatch Logs metric filters (which extract metrics from logs) with CloudWatch alarms (which evaluate metrics and trigger actions), leading them to choose Option A even though the custom metric is already published to CloudWatch and does not require log extraction.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
A metric filter would be used if the failed login data were in log files. In this scenario, the metric is already published as a CloudWatch metric, so no metric filter is needed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a CloudWatch alarm continuously evaluates the specified metric against the threshold using a statistical function (e.g., 'Sum' over a 5-minute period) and transitions through states (OK, ALARM, INSUFFICIENT_DATA). When the alarm state changes to ALARM, it executes an action defined in the alarm configuration, such as publishing to an SNS topic, which then delivers the notification via email, SMS, or other endpoints. A subtle behavior is that the alarm uses the metric's resolution (standard 1-minute or high-resolution) and treats missing data points according to the 'Treat missing data' setting, which can affect whether the alarm triggers correctly in sparse data scenarios.
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: Amazon CloudWatch alarm — An Amazon CloudWatch alarm is the correct service because it monitors a specific CloudWatch metric (such as 'FailedLoginAttempts') and triggers an action (such as sending an SNS notification) when the metric crosses a defined threshold over a specified period. In this case, the alarm evaluates whether the sum of 'FailedLoginAttempts' exceeds 100 within a 5-minute period, and upon breaching, it publishes to the SNS topic to notify the SysOps administrator.
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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