- A
Configure the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use the custom AMI by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration.
This tells the environment to use the custom AMI.
- B
Create a CloudFormation template to deploy the environment with the custom AMI.
Why wrong: CloudFormation is not necessary; Elastic Beanstalk can use the custom AMI directly.
- C
Create a custom AMI using the Elastic Beanstalk platform image as the base.
This ensures the AMI includes all necessary platform components.
- D
Create a custom AMI using AWS Image Builder.
Why wrong: Image Builder is one way, but not required; the key is using the platform image as base.
- E
Use a configuration file in the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID for the Auto Scaling launch configuration.
This is the standard method to specify a custom AMI.
Elastic Beanstalk Custom AMI Configuration
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment, provisioning, and automation. 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 wants to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a web application. The application requires a custom Amazon Linux 2 AMI with specific security agents installed. The company wants to ensure that all environment instances use this custom AMI. Which combination of steps should be taken? (Choose three.)
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 the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use the custom AMI by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration.
To use a custom AMI with Elastic Beanstalk, you must first create the AMI from the Elastic Beanstalk platform image (option C) to ensure compatibility. Then, you must configure the environment to use this AMI, which can be done by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration (option A) or by using a configuration file in the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID for the Auto Scaling launch configuration (option E). Option B is incorrect because a CloudFormation template is not required; Elastic Beanstalk natively supports custom AMIs. Option D is incorrect because while AWS Image Builder can create AMIs, the custom AMI must be based on the Elastic Beanstalk platform image, not built from scratch. Therefore, the correct combination is A, C, and E.
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.
- ✓
Configure the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use the custom AMI by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration.
Why this is correct
This tells the environment to use the custom AMI.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a CloudFormation template to deploy the environment with the custom AMI.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFormation is not necessary; Elastic Beanstalk can use the custom AMI directly.
- ✓
Create a custom AMI using the Elastic Beanstalk platform image as the base.
Why this is correct
This ensures the AMI includes all necessary platform components.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a custom AMI using AWS Image Builder.
Why it's wrong here
Image Builder is one way, but not required; the key is using the platform image as base.
- ✓
Use a configuration file in the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID for the Auto Scaling launch configuration.
Why this is correct
This is the standard method to specify a custom AMI.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 SOA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SOA-C02 questions
1,546 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SOA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SOA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.
Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Networking and Content Delivery practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.
Cost and Performance Optimization practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.
SOA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.
SOA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.
SOA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SOA-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — This question tests Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use the custom AMI by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration. — To use a custom AMI with Elastic Beanstalk, you must first create the AMI from the Elastic Beanstalk platform image (option C) to ensure compatibility. Then, you must configure the environment to use this AMI, which can be done by specifying the AMI ID in the .ebextensions configuration (option A) or by using a configuration file in the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID for the Auto Scaling launch configuration (option E). Option B is incorrect because a CloudFormation template is not required; Elastic Beanstalk natively supports custom AMIs. Option D is incorrect because while AWS Image Builder can create AMIs, the custom AMI must be based on the Elastic Beanstalk platform image, not built from scratch. Therefore, the correct combination is A, C, and E.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SOA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on SOA-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a web application. The application requires a custom Amazon Linux 2 AMI with specific security agents installed. The company wants to ensure that all environment instances use this custom AMI. Which combination of steps should be taken? (Choose two.)
hard- A.Set the AMI ID in a CloudFormation template and associate it with the environment.
- B.Use AWS CodeDeploy to deploy the application to the custom AMI.
- ✓ C.Create a custom AMI using the Elastic Beanstalk platform as the base.
- ✓ D.Configure the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID for the Auto Scaling launch configuration.
- E.Use Packer to create the custom AMI from any base image.
Why C: To ensure all environment instances use a custom AMI with specific security agents, you must create the custom AMI from the Elastic Beanstalk platform (C) to maintain compatibility. Then configure the .ebextensions folder to set the AMI ID in the Auto Scaling launch configuration using the aws:autoscaling:launchconfiguration namespace (D). Option A is incorrect because the AMI ID is set in the environment configuration, not a CloudFormation template. Option B is incorrect because CodeDeploy deploys application code, not the AMI itself. Option E is incorrect because while Packer can be used to create AMIs, it is not required; the custom AMI must be based on the Elastic Beanstalk platform, not any base image.
Variation 2. A company is using AWS Elastic Beanstalk to deploy a web application. The application requires a custom Amazon Machine Image (AMI) that includes specific software. The administrator creates a custom AMI and configures the Elastic Beanstalk environment to use it. However, new instances launched during scaling use the default platform AMI instead. What is the MOST likely cause?
hard- A.The custom AMI ID is specified in the environment properties instead of the launch configuration.
- B.The custom AMI is encrypted, and the instance profile does not have permissions to decrypt it.
- C.The Elastic Beanstalk platform version is incompatible with the custom AMI.
- ✓ D.The custom AMI is configured in the environment's launch configuration, but the environment has not been updated to replace existing instances.
Why D: Option D is correct because when you update the launch configuration in an Elastic Beanstalk environment to use a custom AMI, existing instances are not automatically replaced. The new AMI only applies to instances launched during scaling or environment updates that trigger instance replacement. Since the administrator did not perform an environment update that replaces existing instances, the running instances continue to use the default platform AMI.
Keep practising
More SOA-C02 practice questions
- A company uses an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table handles a workload with a steady baselin…
- A company uses Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The SysOps administrator needs to count the occurrences…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance and send an alert when it exceeds…
- A SysOps administrator needs to monitor the CPU utilization of an Amazon EC2 instance fleet and send an alert when the a…
- A company's security policy requires that all Amazon S3 buckets must have server-side encryption enabled. The SysOps adm…
- A SysOps administrator uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a stack that includes an Amazon EC2 instance. The administrator…
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.