- A
The VPC ID is incorrect or does not exist.
Why wrong: This would cause a different error.
- B
The DBSubnetGroup is not associated with a public subnet.
Why wrong: DBSubnetGroups can use private subnets; public subnets are not required.
- C
A DependsOn clause is missing between the DBInstance and the DBSubnetGroup.
Without DependsOn, CloudFormation may create resources in parallel, causing a dependency error.
- D
The DBSubnetGroup is defined in a different CloudFormation stack.
Why wrong: The question states it is in the same template.
Question 1,030 of 1,546
SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 automating the creation of Amazon RDS instances using AWS CloudFormation. The template includes a DBInstance resource with a DBSubnetGroupName property referencing a subnet group created in the same template. The stack creation fails with the error 'DBSubnetGroup not found'. What is the MOST likely reason?
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 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
✓
A DependsOn clause is missing between the DBInstance and the DBSubnetGroup.
Option C is correct because in AWS CloudFormation, resource creation order is not guaranteed unless explicitly defined. When a DBInstance resource references a DBSubnetGroup by name, CloudFormation may attempt to create the DBInstance before the DBSubnetGroup is fully created, resulting in a 'DBSubnetGroup not found' error. Adding a DependsOn clause to the DBInstance resource ensures the DBSubnetGroup is created first, resolving the dependency.
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.
- ✗
The VPC ID is incorrect or does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
This would cause a different error.
- ✗
The DBSubnetGroup is not associated with a public subnet.
Why it's wrong here
DBSubnetGroups can use private subnets; public subnets are not required.
- ✓
A DependsOn clause is missing between the DBInstance and the DBSubnetGroup.
Why this is correct
Without DependsOn, CloudFormation may create resources in parallel, causing a dependency error.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The DBSubnetGroup is defined in a different CloudFormation stack.
Why it's wrong here
The question states it is in the same template.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume CloudFormation automatically resolves all dependencies based on property references, but it only does so for intrinsic function references (Ref, Fn::GetAtt), not for plain string values like DBSubnetGroupName.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudFormation uses intrinsic dependencies to determine resource creation order, but explicit DependsOn is required when a resource is referenced by name (e.g., in a property like DBSubnetGroupName) rather than by a Ref or Fn::GetAtt intrinsic function. Without DependsOn, CloudFormation may parallelize creation, leading to race conditions. This is a common pitfall when using string references instead of logical ID references.
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 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.
Visual reference
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.
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation 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?
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A DependsOn clause is missing between the DBInstance and the DBSubnetGroup. — Option C is correct because in AWS CloudFormation, resource creation order is not guaranteed unless explicitly defined. When a DBInstance resource references a DBSubnetGroup by name, CloudFormation may attempt to create the DBInstance before the DBSubnetGroup is fully created, resulting in a 'DBSubnetGroup not found' error. Adding a DependsOn clause to the DBInstance resource ensures the DBSubnetGroup is created first, resolving the dependency.
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.
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?
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.