- A
Enable detailed monitoring on the instance to get memory metrics.
Why wrong: Detailed monitoring provides 1-minute CPU metrics, not memory.
- B
Install the CloudWatch agent on the instance and configure it to collect memory metrics.
The agent can collect memory and CPU metrics.
- C
Use a custom script to push memory data to CloudWatch via the PutMetricData API.
A script can collect memory and publish to CloudWatch as custom metrics.
- D
Use the EC2 hypervisor metrics available from CloudWatch.
Why wrong: Hypervisor provides CPU metrics but not memory.
- E
Use AWS Systems Manager Inventory to collect memory utilization.
Why wrong: Inventory collects software inventory, not real-time metrics.
Question 1,286 of 1,546
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 needs to monitor the CPU and memory utilization of an EC2 instance running a legacy application that cannot be modified. Which TWO methods can be used to collect this information? (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
✓
Install the CloudWatch agent on the instance and configure it to collect memory metrics.
Option B is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on an EC2 instance to collect custom metrics, including memory utilization, which is not available by default from the hypervisor. The agent sends these metrics to CloudWatch using the PutMetricData API, enabling monitoring of in-guest resources like memory and disk.
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.
- ✗
Enable detailed monitoring on the instance to get memory metrics.
Why it's wrong here
Detailed monitoring provides 1-minute CPU metrics, not memory.
- ✓
Install the CloudWatch agent on the instance and configure it to collect memory metrics.
Why this is correct
The agent can collect memory and CPU metrics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Use a custom script to push memory data to CloudWatch via the PutMetricData API.
Why this is correct
A script can collect memory and publish to CloudWatch as custom metrics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the EC2 hypervisor metrics available from CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
Hypervisor provides CPU metrics but not memory.
- ✗
Use AWS Systems Manager Inventory to collect memory utilization.
Why it's wrong here
Inventory collects software inventory, not real-time metrics.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume detailed monitoring or hypervisor metrics include memory utilization, not realizing that memory is an in-guest metric requiring an agent or custom script to collect.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The CloudWatch agent uses the proc file system on Linux (e.g., /proc/meminfo) or Performance Counters on Windows to gather memory metrics, then publishes them via the PutMetricData API with a namespace like 'CWAgent'. Custom scripts can also push memory data by reading /proc/meminfo and calling PutMetricData directly, but both methods require in-guest access since the hypervisor does not expose guest memory usage due to the virtualization boundary.
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.
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Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
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: Install the CloudWatch agent on the instance and configure it to collect memory metrics. — Option B is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on an EC2 instance to collect custom metrics, including memory utilization, which is not available by default from the hypervisor. The agent sends these metrics to CloudWatch using the PutMetricData API, enabling monitoring of in-guest resources like memory and disk.
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.
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 →
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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.
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