The answer is a statistic mismatch between the alarm configuration and the metric chart view. This is correct because a CloudWatch alarm evaluates the metric based on its own configured statistic—in this case, 'Maximum'—while the chart in the console defaults to displaying the 'Average' statistic. If CPU utilization spikes above 80% but the average over the 10-minute evaluation period stays below that threshold, the alarm using 'Maximum' will never trigger, even though the chart appears to show high values. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that an alarm’s evaluation logic is independent of the chart’s visualization; a common trap is assuming the chart’s default statistic matches the alarm’s setting. Remember the memory tip: "Alarm evaluates its own stat, not the chart’s default."
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 uses Amazon RDS for MySQL and needs to be alerted when the database's CPU utilization exceeds 80% for 10 minutes. The administrator creates a CloudWatch alarm based on the 'CPUUtilization' metric. However, the alarm does not trigger even though the metric shows values above 80%. What is the most likely cause?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The alarm is configured to use the 'Maximum' statistic, but the metric chart shows 'Average'.
Option B is correct because the CloudWatch alarm is configured to use the 'Maximum' statistic, while the metric chart displays the 'Average' statistic. If the CPU utilization spikes above 80% but the average over the evaluation period remains below 80%, the alarm using 'Maximum' will not trigger. The alarm evaluates the metric based on its configured statistic, not the chart's default view.
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 alarm's period is set to 5 minutes, so it checks only every 5 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
A shorter period would check more frequently, not less.
✓
The alarm is configured to use the 'Maximum' statistic, but the metric chart shows 'Average'.
Why this is correct
If the alarm uses Maximum and the chart shows Average, the values may differ.
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 RDS instance is in a VPC that does not have internet access.
Why it's wrong here
VPC internet access does not affect CloudWatch metrics.
✗
The administrator has not enabled Enhanced Monitoring on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Enhanced Monitoring is for OS metrics; CPUUtilization is available without it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume the alarm uses the same statistic as the default chart view, leading them to overlook the mismatch between the alarm's configured statistic and the metric's actual behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudWatch alarms evaluate a metric based on a specified statistic (e.g., Average, Maximum, Sum) over a given period. If the alarm uses 'Maximum' but the metric's average is below the threshold, the alarm may not fire even if individual data points exceed 80%. This is a common misconfiguration when the metric chart defaults to 'Average' and the administrator assumes the alarm uses the same aggregation. The alarm's evaluation is independent of the chart's display settings.
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.
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 — 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: The alarm is configured to use the 'Maximum' statistic, but the metric chart shows 'Average'. — Option B is correct because the CloudWatch alarm is configured to use the 'Maximum' statistic, while the metric chart displays the 'Average' statistic. If the CPU utilization spikes above 80% but the average over the evaluation period remains below 80%, the alarm using 'Maximum' will not trigger. The alarm evaluates the metric based on its configured statistic, not the chart's default view.
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.
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Question Discussion
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