The answer is using the PutMetricData API call and the CloudWatch agent. The PutMetricData API is the direct programmatic method for sending custom metrics to CloudWatch, allowing you to ingest up to 1,000 metrics per call with a 1 MB payload, which is essential for application-level or business-specific data. The CloudWatch agent, on the other hand, is the correct operational tool for collecting system-level metrics like memory and disk usage from EC2 instances or on-premises servers, automatically publishing them as custom metrics. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between agent-based collection and direct API ingestion, with a common trap being the confusion of the CloudWatch Logs agent (which handles logs, not metrics) or the deprecated monitoring scripts. Remember: for raw data, use the API; for system stats, use the agent. A helpful mnemonic is "API for App, Agent for OS."
SOA-C02 Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO options are valid ways to send custom metrics to Amazon CloudWatch?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the CloudWatch agent to collect and publish custom metrics.
Option A is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on EC2 instances or on-premises servers to collect system-level metrics (like memory and disk usage) and custom application metrics, then publish them to CloudWatch. Option B is correct because the PutMetricData API call allows direct programmatic ingestion of custom metrics into CloudWatch, supporting up to 1,000 metrics per call with a maximum payload of 1 MB.
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.
✓
Use the CloudWatch agent to collect and publish custom metrics.
Why this is correct
The agent can collect custom metrics from the OS and applications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use the PutMetricData API call.
Why this is correct
The API directly publishes custom metric data points.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Amazon SQS to send metric data to CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
SQS is a message queue; it does not send data to CloudWatch.
✗
Use AWS CloudTrail to log custom metrics.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail logs API calls, not metrics.
✗
Use Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose to deliver metrics to CloudWatch.
Why it's wrong here
Firehose cannot directly deliver to CloudWatch; it delivers to S3, Redshift, etc.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think SQS or Kinesis Data Firehose can natively push data to CloudWatch, but neither service has a direct integration for custom metric ingestion—only PutMetricData or the CloudWatch agent (which uses that API) are valid methods.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The CloudWatch agent uses the PutMetricData API under the hood, but it also handles metric aggregation and buffering to reduce API calls and costs. The PutMetricData API has a 150 KB per call limit for the metric data payload, so high-frequency custom metrics often require batching or using the CloudWatch agent's built-in aggregation. In real-world scenarios, you might use the agent for OS-level metrics and PutMetricData for application-specific metrics like request latency or error counts.
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.
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: Use the CloudWatch agent to collect and publish custom metrics. — Option A is correct because the CloudWatch agent can be installed on EC2 instances or on-premises servers to collect system-level metrics (like memory and disk usage) and custom application metrics, then publish them to CloudWatch. Option B is correct because the PutMetricData API call allows direct programmatic ingestion of custom metrics into CloudWatch, supporting up to 1,000 metrics per call with a maximum payload of 1 MB.
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.
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Question Discussion
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