The answer is that the application on the instance is not configured to respond to the '/health' path. This is the most likely cause of an ALB health check failure because the load balancer sends a GET request to that specific endpoint on port 80, and if the web server or application does not have a route or listener for '/health', it returns a non-2xx or 4xx status code, causing the target to be marked unhealthy. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that security group rules and port configurations are necessary but insufficient—the application itself must serve the exact health check path. A common trap is assuming network access alone guarantees health, but the target group’s health check settings must match the application’s actual endpoints. Memory tip: think “Path must match app, not just ports and IPs” to avoid overlooking application-level readiness.
SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A SysOps Administrator runs the above command and sees that an EC2 instance is unhealthy. The health check is configured to check the HTTP endpoint '/health' on port 80. The instance's security group allows inbound HTTP traffic from the ALB's security group. What is the MOST likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The application on the instance is not configured to respond to the '/health' path.
Option B is correct because the health check path is '/health', but the application might not have that endpoint. Option A is wrong because the security group allows inbound traffic from ALB. Option C is wrong because the target group is configured with port 80. Option D is wrong because the instance is running.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The instance is not associated with the target group.
Why it's wrong here
The output shows the instance is in the target group but unhealthy.
✓
The application on the instance is not configured to respond to the '/health' path.
Why this is correct
The health check is hitting '/health' but the application may not have that endpoint, causing a non-200 response.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The target group is configured to use port 8080 instead of port 80.
Why it's wrong here
The output shows health check port 80.
✗
The security group on the instance does not allow inbound traffic from the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
The problem states that the security group allows inbound HTTP traffic from the ALB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The output shows the instance is in the target group but unhealthy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The application on the instance is not configured to respond to the '/health' path. — Option B is correct because the health check path is '/health', but the application might not have that endpoint. Option A is wrong because the security group allows inbound traffic from ALB. Option C is wrong because the target group is configured with port 80. Option D is wrong because the instance is running.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SOA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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