- A
Increase the EBS volume size to maximize I/O performance.
Why wrong: Volume size does not affect backup.
- B
Configure automated snapshots using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
DLM automates snapshot creation and retention.
- C
Create a lifecycle policy to automatically take snapshots of the EBS volume and copy them to another region.
Cross-region snapshot copy provides disaster recovery.
- D
Enable EBS encryption using AWS KMS.
Why wrong: Encryption protects data at rest, not backup.
- E
Enable EBS Multi-Attach to allow the volume to be attached to instances in another AZ.
Why wrong: Multi-Attach is for shared volumes, not backup.
Question 163 of 1,546
How to Back Up EBS Volumes to Withstand an Availability Zone Failure
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of reliability and business continuity. 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 company runs a critical application on Amazon EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group. The application stores data on an Amazon EBS volume. The SysOps administrator needs to implement a backup strategy that ensures data can be recovered in the event of an AZ failure. Which TWO actions should be taken? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
Configure automated snapshots using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
Option B is correct because Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) automates the creation, retention, and deletion of EBS snapshots, providing a scheduled backup mechanism that protects against data loss. Option C is correct because copying snapshots to another region ensures data is recoverable even if an entire AWS Availability Zone (AZ) fails, as the snapshots are stored independently in a different geographic region.
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.
- ✗
Increase the EBS volume size to maximize I/O performance.
Why it's wrong here
Volume size does not affect backup.
- ✓
Configure automated snapshots using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
Why this is correct
DLM automates snapshot creation and retention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create a lifecycle policy to automatically take snapshots of the EBS volume and copy them to another region.
Why this is correct
Cross-region snapshot copy provides disaster recovery.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable EBS encryption using AWS KMS.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data at rest, not backup.
- ✗
Enable EBS Multi-Attach to allow the volume to be attached to instances in another AZ.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-Attach is for shared volumes, not backup.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse EBS Multi-Attach (which provides high availability within an AZ) with a cross-AZ backup strategy, or they mistakenly think increasing volume size or enabling encryption alone constitutes a backup plan.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
EBS snapshots are stored in Amazon S3 and are incremental, meaning only changed blocks are saved after the initial snapshot, reducing storage costs and backup time. When you copy a snapshot to another region, AWS creates a full copy in the destination region's S3 bucket, which can then be used to create new EBS volumes in that region. This cross-region copy is essential for meeting Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) in multi-region disaster recovery scenarios, as it protects against both AZ and regional failures.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
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Reliability and Business Continuity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Reliability and Business Continuity — This question tests Reliability and Business Continuity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure automated snapshots using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager. — Option B is correct because Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) automates the creation, retention, and deletion of EBS snapshots, providing a scheduled backup mechanism that protects against data loss. Option C is correct because copying snapshots to another region ensures data is recoverable even if an entire AWS Availability Zone (AZ) fails, as the snapshots are stored independently in a different geographic region.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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