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Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the alarm statistic should be 'Maximum' instead of 'Average' to catch CPU spikes. This is because the CloudWatch alarm using the Average statistic smooths out CPU utilization over the entire five-minute period, so a brief spike above 80% will not trigger the alarm unless the average across all data points stays above that threshold. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how CloudWatch alarm statistics interact with metric periods—a common trap is assuming any spike will fire the alarm, when in fact the statistic determines which data point is evaluated. For detecting short-lived CPU spikes, you need the Maximum statistic, which evaluates the highest value in each period. Memory tip: "Spikes need Max, trends need Avg."

SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question

This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

# CloudFormation snippet
Resources:
  MyInstance:
    Type: AWS::EC2::Instance
    Properties:
      ImageId: ami-0abcdef1234567890
      InstanceType: t2.micro
      Monitoring: true
      UserData:
        Fn::Base64: !Sub |
          #!/bin/bash
          yum install -y httpd
          systemctl start httpd
          systemctl enable httpd
  MyAlarm:
    Type: AWS::CloudWatch::Alarm
    Properties:
      AlarmDescription: CPU alarm
      Namespace: AWS/EC2
      MetricName: CPUUtilization
      Statistic: Average
      Period: 300
      EvaluationPeriods: 1
      Threshold: 80
      ComparisonOperator: GreaterThanThreshold
      Dimensions:
        - Name: InstanceId
          Value: !Ref MyInstance
      AlarmActions:
        - !Ref MySNSTopic

Refer to the exhibit. A SysOps administrator deploys this CloudFormation stack. The EC2 instance launches and the web server starts. However, the CloudWatch alarm does not trigger even when CPU utilization exceeds 80%. What is the MOST likely reason?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

# CloudFormation snippet
Resources:
  MyInstance:
    Type: AWS::EC2::Instance
    Properties:
      ImageId: ami-0abcdef1234567890
      InstanceType: t2.micro
      Monitoring: true
      UserData:
        Fn::Base64: !Sub |
          #!/bin/bash
          yum install -y httpd
          systemctl start httpd
          systemctl enable httpd
  MyAlarm:
    Type: AWS::CloudWatch::Alarm
    Properties:
      AlarmDescription: CPU alarm
      Namespace: AWS/EC2
      MetricName: CPUUtilization
      Statistic: Average
      Period: 300
      EvaluationPeriods: 1
      Threshold: 80
      ComparisonOperator: GreaterThanThreshold
      Dimensions:
        - Name: InstanceId
          Value: !Ref MyInstance
      AlarmActions:
        - !Ref MySNSTopic

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

✓

The alarm statistic should be 'Maximum' instead of 'Average' to catch CPU spikes that may not sustain the average above 80% for 5 minutes.

Option B is correct because the alarm is configured with the 'Average' statistic, which smooths out CPU utilization over the 5-minute period. If CPU utilization spikes above 80% but does not sustain an average above that threshold for the entire duration, the alarm will not trigger. Using the 'Maximum' statistic would catch any single data point exceeding 80% within the period, making it appropriate for detecting short-lived spikes.

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.

  • ✗

    The alarm action is missing a valid SNS topic ARN.

    Why it's wrong here

    The alarm action uses !Ref MySNSTopic, which should be valid if the topic exists.

  • ✓

    The alarm statistic should be 'Maximum' instead of 'Average' to catch CPU spikes that may not sustain the average above 80% for 5 minutes.

    Why this is correct

    Using Average over 5 minutes can mask short spikes; Maximum would trigger on any 5-minute period where the maximum is above 80%.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • ✗

    The alarm dimension is incorrect; it should use the instance's private IP.

    Why it's wrong here

    The dimension for EC2 CPUUtilization is InstanceId, which is correct.

  • ✗

    The user data script fails to start the web server, causing the instance to be unhealthy.

    Why it's wrong here

    The web server status does not affect CPU metric.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often assume any CPU utilization above the threshold will trigger an alarm, overlooking how the chosen statistic (Average vs. Maximum) and evaluation period affect whether a spike is detected.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

CloudWatch alarms evaluate metric data over a specified period (e.g., 5 minutes) using a chosen statistic (Average, Maximum, Minimum, Sum, etc.). The 'Average' statistic is sensitive to the duration of the spike; a brief CPU burst above 80% may be diluted by lower values in the same period, keeping the average below the threshold. In contrast, 'Maximum' captures the highest data point in the period, ensuring any spike above 80% triggers the alarm. This distinction is critical for scenarios like burstable EC2 instances (e.g., T2/T3) where CPU credits can cause short-lived spikes that need immediate alerting.

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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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: The alarm statistic should be 'Maximum' instead of 'Average' to catch CPU spikes that may not sustain the average above 80% for 5 minutes. — Option B is correct because the alarm is configured with the 'Average' statistic, which smooths out CPU utilization over the 5-minute period. If CPU utilization spikes above 80% but does not sustain an average above that threshold for the entire duration, the alarm will not trigger. Using the 'Maximum' statistic would catch any single data point exceeding 80% within the period, making it appropriate for detecting short-lived spikes.

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.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026

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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.