The correct answer is that CloudFront can use an S3 bucket configured as a static website as an origin, and it can also use an Application Load Balancer (ALB) as a custom origin. This is because CloudFront supports three primary origin types: S3 buckets (including static website hosting), ALBs, and any custom HTTP/HTTPS endpoint. The ALB option is particularly important for dynamic content, as it allows CloudFront to cache responses at the edge while terminating HTTPS and routing traffic to your web application. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this topic tests your understanding of how to pair CloudFront with different backend services for both static and dynamic delivery. A common trap is assuming only S3 buckets can serve as origins, but the exam emphasizes that ALBs and custom origins (like EC2 or on-premises servers) are fully supported. Remember the memory tip: "S3 for static, ALB for dynamic, custom for everything else."
SOA-C02 Networking and Content Delivery Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. 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.
Which TWO statements about Amazon CloudFront origins are correct? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
CloudFront can use an Application Load Balancer as an origin.
Option C is correct because CloudFront can use an Application Load Balancer (ALB) as a custom origin. This allows you to distribute traffic from a web application running behind an ALB, enabling dynamic content delivery with CloudFront's edge caching and HTTPS 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.
CloudFront supports custom origins such as HTTP servers.
✓
CloudFront can use an Application Load Balancer as an origin.
Why this is correct
ALB can be a custom origin.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
CloudFront origins must be in the same region as the distribution.
Why it's wrong here
Origins can be in any region.
✓
CloudFront can use an S3 bucket configured as a static website as an origin.
Why this is correct
S3 static website hosting can be an origin.
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 often assume CloudFront origins are limited to S3 buckets, but the service supports a wide variety of custom origins, including ALBs, EC2 instances, and external HTTP servers.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When using an ALB as a CloudFront origin, you must ensure the ALB's security group allows inbound traffic from CloudFront's origin-facing IP ranges (published in the AWS IP address ranges JSON). Additionally, you can configure CloudFront to forward custom headers (e.g., X-Forwarded-For) to preserve client IP information, and you can enable Origin Shield to reduce load on the ALB by consolidating requests at a regional edge cache.
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 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
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.
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: CloudFront can use an Application Load Balancer as an origin. — Option C is correct because CloudFront can use an Application Load Balancer (ALB) as a custom origin. This allows you to distribute traffic from a web application running behind an ALB, enabling dynamic content delivery with CloudFront's edge caching and HTTPS 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.
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Question Discussion
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