The answer is that the AMI ID specified is deprecated or has been removed from AWS. This is the most likely cause of a Terraform plan failure with an AMI error because Terraform validates the existence of the referenced Amazon Machine Image during the planning phase; if the AMI has been deregistered, deprecated, or deleted by its owner, the plan cannot resolve it to a valid image and fails immediately. On the Project Management Professional PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of resource lifecycle management and the risks of hardcoding dependencies—a common trap is assuming that once an AMI works, it remains valid indefinitely, when in reality AWS regularly deprecates older images. To avoid this, always use data sources or SSM parameters to dynamically fetch the latest AMI ID. Memory tip: “Hardcode an AMI, and your plan will go AMI-gone.”
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
```
Error: deployment failed
on main.tf line 42, in resource "aws_instance" "web":
42: ami = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0"
The image 'ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0' does not exist.
```
Refer to the exhibit. A DevOps engineer is running a Terraform plan to deploy a web server. The plan fails with the error shown. What is the most likely cause of this error?
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.
Refer to the exhibit.
```
Error: deployment failed
on main.tf line 42, in resource "aws_instance" "web":
42: ami = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0"
The image 'ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0' does not exist.
```
A
The Terraform state file is corrupted.
Why wrong: State corruption errors are different and do not reference missing AMIs.
B
The instance type is not supported in the current region.
Why wrong: The error does not mention instance type or region.
C
The AWS account lacks permissions to launch EC2 instances.
Why wrong: Permission errors typically show 'Unauthorized' or similar, not 'does not exist'.
D
The AMI ID specified is deprecated or has been removed from AWS.
The error message directly indicates the AMI does not exist.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The AMI ID specified is deprecated or has been removed from AWS.
The error message indicates that the AMI ID referenced in the Terraform configuration is no longer available in AWS. AMIs can be deprecated, deregistered, or removed by AWS or the owner, making them invalid for launching instances. Terraform's plan fails because it cannot resolve the AMI to a valid image, which is a common issue when using hardcoded AMI IDs that become outdated.
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 Terraform state file is corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
State corruption errors are different and do not reference missing AMIs.
✗
The instance type is not supported in the current region.
Why it's wrong here
The error does not mention instance type or region.
✗
The AWS account lacks permissions to launch EC2 instances.
Why it's wrong here
Permission errors typically show 'Unauthorized' or similar, not 'does not exist'.
✓
The AMI ID specified is deprecated or has been removed from AWS.
Why this is correct
The error message directly indicates the AMI does not exist.
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.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that a failed Terraform plan is always due to permissions or state corruption, when in reality the error message directly points to the AMI ID being invalid or missing.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Permission errors typically show 'Unauthorized' or similar, not 'does not exist'.
Command / output trap
Permission errors typically show 'Unauthorized' or similar, not 'does not exist'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When Terraform attempts to create an EC2 instance, it calls the AWS EC2 RunInstances API with the specified AMI ID. If the AMI has been deregistered, deprecated, or deleted, AWS returns an error such as 'InvalidAMIID.NotFound' or 'The image id '[ami-xxx]' does not exist'. This is a common pitfall when using static AMI IDs in Terraform configurations, as AMIs are region-specific and can be updated or removed by AWS (e.g., Amazon Linux 2 AMIs are periodically deprecated). Best practice is to use data sources like `aws_ami` to dynamically fetch the latest AMI ID based on filters.
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 practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The AMI ID specified is deprecated or has been removed from AWS. — The error message indicates that the AMI ID referenced in the Terraform configuration is no longer available in AWS. AMIs can be deprecated, deregistered, or removed by AWS or the owner, making them invalid for launching instances. Terraform's plan fails because it cannot resolve the AMI to a valid image, which is a common issue when using hardcoded AMI IDs that become outdated.
What should I do if I get this PMP 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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