- A
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that matches the 'RDS DB Instance Event' for 'failover' and sends the event to an Amazon SNS topic for notification and logging.
This correctly uses CloudWatch Events / EventBridge to capture RDS events including failovers with detailed information such as time and cause. It requires minimal setup and is designed for this purpose.
- B
Enable detailed monitoring on the RDS instance and stream the logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs where a metric filter can detect failover patterns.
Why wrong: Detailed monitoring provides performance metrics at a higher frequency, but it does not generate failover events. Failovers are not captured in standard logs; they are separate events.
- C
Configure AWS CloudTrail to log all RDS API calls and analyze the logs for the 'Failover' event type.
Why wrong: CloudTrail logs API calls made to the RDS service (e.g., modifying a DB instance). The internal failover process is not an API call initiated by the user; it is an automated action and is not recorded in CloudTrail.
- D
Use AWS Config to create a config rule that evaluates whether the 'DBInstanceStatus' changes to 'failover' and then trigger a remediation action.
Why wrong: AWS Config records configuration changes and compliance over time. A failover event does not change a persistent configuration unless the instance is modified. Config rules are not suitable for capturing transient events like failovers.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule (now part of Amazon EventBridge) that matches the 'RDS DB Instance Event' for 'failover' and sends it to an SNS topic for notification and to CloudWatch Logs for logging. This solution provides the least operational overhead because it directly consumes the native RDS event stream without requiring custom scripts, polling, or additional infrastructure—CloudWatch Events automatically captures the exact timestamp and reason for the failover as part of the event payload. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of event-driven automation versus manual monitoring; a common trap is choosing RDS event subscriptions alone, which notify but do not log the event details for compliance. The key distinction is that CloudWatch Events can both notify via SNS and log to CloudWatch Logs in a single rule, fulfilling the dual requirement. Memory tip: think "EventBridge bridges the gap between notification and logging"—one rule, two outputs.
SOA-C02 Reliability and Business Continuity Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of reliability and business continuity. 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. A key principle to apply: cloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.. 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 production database on Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ deployment. The SysOps administrator needs to be automatically notified when a failover event occurs, and also capture the exact time and reason for the failover for compliance purposes. Which AWS service or feature should be used to capture the failover event details with the least operational overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that matches the 'RDS DB Instance Event' for 'failover' and sends the event to an Amazon SNS topic for notification and logging.
Amazon CloudWatch Events (now part of Amazon EventBridge) can match RDS DB Instance events, including 'failover', and route them to an SNS topic for notification and to CloudWatch Logs for logging. This approach requires no custom scripting or polling, providing the least operational overhead while capturing the exact time and reason for the failover directly from the RDS event stream.
Key principle: CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that matches the 'RDS DB Instance Event' for 'failover' and sends the event to an Amazon SNS topic for notification and logging.
Why this is correct
This correctly uses CloudWatch Events / EventBridge to capture RDS events including failovers with detailed information such as time and cause. It requires minimal setup and is designed for this purpose.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.
- ✗
Enable detailed monitoring on the RDS instance and stream the logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs where a metric filter can detect failover patterns.
Why it's wrong here
Detailed monitoring provides performance metrics at a higher frequency, but it does not generate failover events. Failovers are not captured in standard logs; they are separate events.
- ✗
Configure AWS CloudTrail to log all RDS API calls and analyze the logs for the 'Failover' event type.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls made to the RDS service (e.g., modifying a DB instance). The internal failover process is not an API call initiated by the user; it is an automated action and is not recorded in CloudTrail.
- ✗
Use AWS Config to create a config rule that evaluates whether the 'DBInstanceStatus' changes to 'failover' and then trigger a remediation action.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config records configuration changes and compliance over time. A failover event does not change a persistent configuration unless the instance is modified. Config rules are not suitable for capturing transient events like failovers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse CloudTrail (which logs API calls) with RDS events (which log internal service events), leading them to choose CloudTrail even though automatic failovers are not API-driven and thus not recorded by CloudTrail.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS publishes events to the RDS event stream for actions like failover, backup completion, and maintenance. CloudWatch Events/EventBridge can filter on the 'Event Source' as 'aws.rds' and 'Event Type' as 'RDS DB Instance Event' with a detail field like 'Event Message' containing 'failover'. The event payload includes the exact timestamp and a message describing the cause (e.g., 'A failover has been completed to the standby replica'). This eliminates the need for log parsing or custom polling, ensuring compliance capture with minimal overhead.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.
- RDS emits specific events for Multi-AZ failovers.
- Event patterns allow precise filtering for specific event types and details.
- SNS topics are common targets for CloudWatch Events for notifications and fan-out.
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
CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.
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. CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events. 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.
Review cloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Reliability and Business Continuity — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Reliability and Business Continuity 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?
Reliability and Business Continuity — This question tests Reliability and Business Continuity — CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an Amazon CloudWatch Events rule that matches the 'RDS DB Instance Event' for 'failover' and sends the event to an Amazon SNS topic for notification and logging. — Amazon CloudWatch Events (now part of Amazon EventBridge) can match RDS DB Instance events, including 'failover', and route them to an SNS topic for notification and to CloudWatch Logs for logging. This approach requires no custom scripting or polling, providing the least operational overhead while capturing the exact time and reason for the failover directly from the RDS event stream.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 question wrong?
Review cloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events., then practise related SOA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) captures operational changes as events.
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 11, 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.