Quick Answer
The answer is the Network Load Balancer (NLB) because it is the only AWS load balancer that natively supports UDP traffic at the transport layer (Layer 4). Unlike the Application Load Balancer, which operates at Layer 7 and only handles HTTP/HTTPS, or the Classic Load Balancer, which supports TCP/SSL but not UDP, the NLB is designed to handle both TCP and UDP protocols with ultra-low latency. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of load balancer protocol limitations and use cases—a common trap is confusing the Classic Load Balancer’s TCP support with UDP support, or assuming CloudFront can act as a load balancer. Remember that UDP is connectionless and stateless, so it requires a Layer 4 balancer like NLB. A simple memory tip: “NLB for UDP, ALB for web apps, CLB for legacy.”
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of networking and content delivery. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 has an application that requires UDP traffic to be distributed across multiple EC2 instances. Which AWS load balancer type should be used?
Network Load Balancer
NLB supports TCP, UDP, and TLS.
Classic Load Balancer
Why wrong: Classic Load Balancer does not support UDP.
Amazon CloudFront
Why wrong: CloudFront does not load balance; it caches content.
Application Load Balancer
Why wrong: ALB only supports HTTP/HTTPS.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Network Load Balancer
Option C is correct because Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports UDP traffic. Application Load Balancer (ALB) only supports HTTP/HTTPS. Option A is incorrect because ALB does not support UDP. Option B is incorrect because Classic Load Balancer supports TCP/SSL but not UDP. Option D is incorrect because CloudFront is a CDN, not a load balancer.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Network Load Balancer
Classic Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
Classic Load Balancer does not support UDP.
Amazon CloudFront
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront does not load balance; it caches content.
Application Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
ALB only supports HTTP/HTTPS.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
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.
Networking and Content Delivery — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Networking and Content Delivery 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
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Reliability and Business Continuity.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Networking and Content Delivery.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to Cost and Performance Optimization.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 fundamentals.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 scenario.
Practise SOA-C02 questions linked to SOA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Networking and Content Delivery — This question tests Networking and Content Delivery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Network Load Balancer — Option C is correct because Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports UDP traffic. Application Load Balancer (ALB) only supports HTTP/HTTPS. Option A is incorrect because ALB does not support UDP. Option B is incorrect because Classic Load Balancer supports TCP/SSL but not UDP. Option D is incorrect because CloudFront is a CDN, not a load balancer.
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.
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 →
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.