- A
Configure an Auto Scaling group lifecycle hook to terminate instances after 24 hours.
Why wrong: Lifecycle hooks are for transitions, not time-based termination.
- B
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the InstanceAge metric and set it to trigger the Lambda function.
Why wrong: InstanceAge is not a standard CloudWatch metric.
- C
Tag each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp).
Tags allow the Lambda function to calculate age.
- D
Create an Amazon EventBridge rule that triggers the Lambda function on a schedule (e.g., every hour).
Scheduled EventBridge rules can invoke Lambda periodically.
- E
Create an AWS Lambda function that uses the EC2 API to terminate instances older than 24 hours.
Lambda can run custom code to terminate instances.
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. 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 is tasked with setting up a solution that automatically terminates EC2 instances that have been running for more than 24 hours. Which steps should the administrator take? (Select THREE.)
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
Tag each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp).
Option C is correct because tagging each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp) provides a reliable, queryable metadata point that a Lambda function can use to calculate instance age. This approach avoids reliance on the EC2 instance's launch time attribute, which can be altered or unavailable in certain scenarios (e.g., stopped/started instances). The tag serves as a deterministic reference for the Lambda function to compare against the current time and decide termination.
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.
- ✗
Configure an Auto Scaling group lifecycle hook to terminate instances after 24 hours.
Why it's wrong here
Lifecycle hooks are for transitions, not time-based termination.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the InstanceAge metric and set it to trigger the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
InstanceAge is not a standard CloudWatch metric.
- ✓
Tag each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp).
Why this is correct
Tags allow the Lambda function to calculate age.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create an Amazon EventBridge rule that triggers the Lambda function on a schedule (e.g., every hour).
Why this is correct
Scheduled EventBridge rules can invoke Lambda periodically.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create an AWS Lambda function that uses the EC2 API to terminate instances older than 24 hours.
Why this is correct
Lambda can run custom code to terminate instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse lifecycle hooks (which are for Auto Scaling events) with scheduled termination logic, or assume CloudWatch has a built-in 'InstanceAge' metric, when in fact no such metric exists and the correct approach requires a custom tagging and Lambda-based solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The solution relies on an EventBridge scheduled rule (e.g., rate(1 hour)) to invoke a Lambda function that uses the EC2 DescribeInstances API with a filter for the LaunchTime tag. The Lambda function then compares the tag value (converted to epoch time) against the current time minus 24 hours, and calls the TerminateInstances API for matching instances. This pattern is common for cost optimization in non-production environments, where instances may be left running unintentionally. A subtle behavior: if an instance is stopped and started, its original launch time remains unchanged, so the tag-based approach ensures consistent age tracking regardless of state transitions.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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.
- →
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SOA-C02 questions
1,546 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SOA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SOA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.
Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Networking and Content Delivery practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.
Cost and Performance Optimization practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.
SOA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.
SOA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.
SOA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SOA-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Tag each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp). — Option C is correct because tagging each EC2 instance with its launch time (e.g., key: LaunchTime, value: timestamp) provides a reliable, queryable metadata point that a Lambda function can use to calculate instance age. This approach avoids reliance on the EC2 instance's launch time attribute, which can be altered or unavailable in certain scenarios (e.g., stopped/started instances). The tag serves as a deterministic reference for the Lambda function to compare against the current time and decide termination.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More SOA-C02 practice questions
- A company uses an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table handles a workload with a steady baselin…
- A company uses Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The SysOps administrator needs to count the occurrences…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance and send an alert when it exceeds…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance fleet and send an alert when the a…
- A company's security policy requires that all Amazon S3 buckets must have server-side encryption enabled. The SysOps adm…
- A SysOps administrator uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a stack that includes an Amazon EC2 instance. The administrator…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.