Quick Answer
The answer is AWS CloudTrail. This service is specifically designed to log every API call made to AWS services, capturing details like the identity of the caller, the time of the request, and the source IP address, and it can automatically deliver these logs to a centralized S3 bucket with server-side encryption enabled for compliance. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between monitoring services: a common trap is confusing CloudTrail with AWS Config, which tracks resource configuration changes rather than API actions, or with CloudWatch Logs, which stores application logs but isn’t the primary capture tool for API calls. Remember the mnemonic “Trail tracks the trail of API calls” to instantly recall that CloudTrail is your go-to for auditing and compliance logging.
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security and compliance. 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.
A company requires that all API calls to AWS services be logged for compliance. The logs must be stored in a centralized S3 bucket with server-side encryption enabled. Which AWS service should be used to capture the API calls?
AWS Config
Why wrong: AWS Config records resource configuration changes, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
CloudTrail logs API calls and delivers to S3.
VPC Flow Logs
Why wrong: VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic, not API calls.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs can store logs but does not capture API calls by default.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS CloudTrail
Option B is correct because AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls and can deliver logs to an S3 bucket with SSE. Option A is wrong because AWS Config records resource configuration changes, not API calls. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs can store logs but is not the primary service for capturing API calls. Option D is wrong because VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
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.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config records resource configuration changes, not API calls.
AWS CloudTrail
Why this is correct
CloudTrail logs API calls and delivers to S3.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
VPC Flow Logs
Why it's wrong here
VPC Flow Logs capture IP traffic, not API calls.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs can store logs but does not capture API calls by default.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
Security and Compliance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security and Compliance — This question tests Security and Compliance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS CloudTrail — Option B is correct because AWS CloudTrail logs all API calls and can deliver logs to an S3 bucket with SSE. Option A is wrong because AWS Config records resource configuration changes, not API calls. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs can store logs but is not the primary service for capturing API calls. Option D is wrong because VPC Flow Logs capture network traffic, not API calls.
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.
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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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