The correct conclusion is that two EC2 instances have reported CPUUtilization metrics at some point. This is because the CloudWatch list-metrics output reveals two distinct instance IDs, i-12345678 and i-87654321, as separate dimensions for the CPUUtilization metric; each unique dimension indicates a different source of metric data, regardless of whether those instances are currently running or have any alarms configured. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this tests your ability to interpret metric metadata rather than assume active status—a common trap is thinking list-metrics shows only currently running instances or that it implies alarm states. Remember, list-metrics simply inventories what has been reported, not what is alive. A helpful memory tip: “Dimensions define data sources, not current sources.”
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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A SysOps administrator runs the 'list-metrics' command for CPUUtilization. Based on the output, what can the administrator conclude?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
There are two EC2 instances that have reported CPUUtilization metrics at some point.
The 'list-metrics' output shows two distinct dimensions (i-12345678 and i-87654321) for the CPUUtilization metric, indicating that two EC2 instances have reported this metric at some point. Option B is correct because the presence of two unique instance IDs in the metric data confirms that CPUUtilization has been recorded for both instances, regardless of whether they are currently active or have alarms configured.
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 CPUUtilization metric is only available for EC2 instances.
Why it's wrong here
CPUUtilization is available for EC2, but other services also have CPU metrics.
✓
There are two EC2 instances that have reported CPUUtilization metrics at some point.
Why this is correct
list-metrics returns metrics that exist, regardless of current publishing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Both instances are actively publishing CPUUtilization metrics.
Why it's wrong here
The command only lists metrics that have been published in the past; they may not be active now.
✗
An alarm has been set on both instances for CPUUtilization.
Why it's wrong here
The command does not show alarms.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'list-metrics' shows only currently active resources or that it implies alarm configurations, when in fact it only reflects historical metric reporting and has no relation to current state or alarms.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The command only lists metrics that have been published in the past; they may not be active now.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'list-metrics' API call returns a list of metrics that have been published to CloudWatch, filtered by namespace (e.g., AWS/EC2) and metric name. Each metric is uniquely identified by its dimensions (e.g., InstanceId), and the presence of a dimension in the output only indicates that data points were recorded at some point—not that the resource is currently running. In real-world scenarios, stopped or terminated instances may still appear in list-metrics results for up to 15 months if they have historical data, which can confuse administrators who assume active publishing.
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.
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: There are two EC2 instances that have reported CPUUtilization metrics at some point. — The 'list-metrics' output shows two distinct dimensions (i-12345678 and i-87654321) for the CPUUtilization metric, indicating that two EC2 instances have reported this metric at some point. Option B is correct because the presence of two unique instance IDs in the metric data confirms that CPUUtilization has been recorded for both instances, regardless of whether they are currently active or have alarms configured.
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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