The correct metric is HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count, because it specifically tracks HTTP 5xx responses generated by the EC2 instances behind the Application Load Balancer, directly reflecting application-level errors rather than load balancer infrastructure issues. This metric is essential for the ALB target 5xx error rate alarm because it isolates errors from the application targets themselves, allowing you to divide it by RequestCount to calculate the precise error percentage over a 5-minute period. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this distinction is a common trap—candidates often confuse HTTPCode_ELB_5XX_Count (which tracks load balancer-generated errors like 503 due to capacity issues) with the target-specific metric. The exam tests your ability to match the metric to the monitoring objective: application health versus infrastructure health. Remember the memory tip: “Targets produce the 5xx; the ELB just passes them through”—so always choose HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count when the alarm must reflect actual application errors.
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: hTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.. 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 company runs a web application on Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The SysOps administrator needs to monitor the application's HTTP 5xx error rate and set an alarm when the error rate exceeds 5% over a 5-minute period. The alarm must trigger an Amazon SNS notification. Which metric should be used for the alarm?
Why wrong: This metric reports errors generated by the load balancer itself (e.g., 503 due to no healthy targets), not HTTP 5xx errors from the application.
B
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count
This metric counts HTTP 5xx responses from the registered targets. It directly reflects application-level errors and is appropriate for the alarm.
C
RequestCount
Why wrong: RequestCount is the total number of requests. While it can be used to compute error rate when combined with error counts, using the error count metric directly is simpler and more accurate.
D
TargetResponseTime
Why wrong: TargetResponseTime measures response latency, not error responses. It is not suitable for monitoring HTTP 5xx errors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count
Option B is correct because the alarm must monitor the error rate from the application targets (EC2 instances) behind the ALB. HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks HTTP 5xx responses generated by the targets themselves, which directly reflects application-level errors. To calculate the error rate, you would divide this metric by RequestCount, but the metric itself is the correct source for target-side 5xx errors.
Key principle: HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
HTTPCode_ELB_5XX_Count
Why it's wrong here
This metric reports errors generated by the load balancer itself (e.g., 503 due to no healthy targets), not HTTP 5xx errors from the application.
✓
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count
Why this is correct
This metric counts HTTP 5xx responses from the registered targets. It directly reflects application-level errors and is appropriate for the alarm.
Related concept
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.
✗
RequestCount
Why it's wrong here
RequestCount is the total number of requests. While it can be used to compute error rate when combined with error counts, using the error count metric directly is simpler and more accurate.
✗
TargetResponseTime
Why it's wrong here
TargetResponseTime measures response latency, not error responses. It is not suitable for monitoring HTTP 5xx errors.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse HTTPCode_ELB_5XX_Count with HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count, assuming all 5xx errors originate from the load balancer, when in fact the ALB separates its own errors from target-generated errors to provide precise fault isolation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the ALB distinguishes between errors it generates (ELB 5xx) and errors from targets (Target 5xx) by inspecting the HTTP response status code from the backend. For example, if a target returns a 503 due to a database timeout, it increments HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count, while a 503 from the ALB due to no healthy targets increments HTTPCode_ELB_5XX_Count. In real-world scenarios, monitoring only ELB 5xx could mask application failures, such as a misconfigured web server returning 500 errors, which is why target-side metrics are essential for application health.
KKey Concepts to Remember
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.
This metric indicates application-level issues on EC2 instances.
It is crucial for monitoring the health of the application code.
CloudWatch alarms can use this metric to trigger SNS notifications.
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
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.
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. HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets. 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review hTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count — Option B is correct because the alarm must monitor the error rate from the application targets (EC2 instances) behind the ALB. HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks HTTP 5xx responses generated by the targets themselves, which directly reflects application-level errors. To calculate the error rate, you would divide this metric by RequestCount, but the metric itself is the correct source for target-side 5xx errors.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review hTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
HTTPCode_Target_5XX_Count tracks 5xx errors originating from registered targets.
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