Monitoring EC2 CPU Utilization with Amazon CloudWatch
A systems administrator wants to monitor the CPU utilization of a company's Amazon EC2 instances. Which AWS service can provide this information?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
Tests knowledge of AWS monitoring tools; the trap is confusing metric collection (CloudWatch) with configuration tracking (Config) or security auditing (CloudTrail).
Amazon CloudWatch is the native AWS service for monitoring resource metrics such as CPU utilization for EC2 instances. This page explains why CloudWatch is the correct choice over configuration, audit, and advisory services.
Learners often select AWS Config because it monitors resource configurations, but it does not provide real-time performance metrics like CPU usage.
Community Discussion (4 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Amazon CloudWatch is specifically designed to collect and track metrics, including system-level data like CPU utilization, from AWS resources such as EC2 instances. It provides granular, time-series data that allows administrators to visualize performance trends and set alarms.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
AWS Config tracks resource configuration changes and compliance, not performance metrics. AWS Trusted Advisor offers best practice checks and cost optimization insights, not real-time telemetry. AWS CloudTrail logs API calls for auditing purposes, which does not include instance CPU statistics.Community Comment Notes
The community consensus strongly supports CloudWatch, with users noting that "CPU => Cloudwatch" directly links the metric to the service. Comments emphasize that CloudWatch is the standard for real-time monitoring tasks.Exam Strategy
When asked about monitoring specific resource metrics (CPU, memory, network), always choose CloudWatch. Reserve Config for change tracking, CloudTrail for API logging, and Trusted Advisor for health/cost checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not use AWS Config for CPU monitoring?
AWS Config tracks resource state and configuration changes, not real-time performance metrics like CPU load.
Does CloudTrail show CPU usage?
No, CloudTrail only logs API requests and responses for security auditing and governance, not system metrics.
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