Jeff’s Note #
Unlike generic exam dumps, ADH analyzes this scenario through the lens of a Real-World Site Reliability Engineer (SRE).
For SOA-C02 candidates, the confusion often lies in differentiating between tag-based resource management tools versus billing or security checks. In production, this is about knowing precisely how to aggregate and display resource metadata across multiple regions, minimizing manual overhead and avoiding indirect or unrelated AWS services. Let’s drill down.
The Certification Drill (Simulated Question) #
Scenario #
Technosoft Inc., a multinational technology firm, runs its applications in five AWS regions worldwide. The SRE team needs to generate a consolidated report showing all Amazon EC2 instances—both tagged and untagged—across these regions. The report must include the instance IDs along with their associated tags to help improve cost allocation and governance.
The Requirement: #
Which approach provides the most operationally efficient method to produce this comprehensive, multi-region inventory of EC2 instances and their tags?
The Options #
- A) Create a resource group in AWS Resource Groups based on tags to group EC2 instances.
- B) Use AWS Trusted Advisor to export the EC2 on-demand instances report.
- C) Use Cost Explorer; filter by EC2 service and group by resource tags.
- D) Use AWS Resource Groups Tag Editor; select all regions and resource type AWS::EC2::Instance.
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Correct Answer #
D
Quick Insight: The SysOps Imperative #
- The Tag Editor in AWS Resource Groups is designed specifically for cross-region tagging visibility and bulk tag management. It efficiently lists all instances regardless of tag presence, fulfilling the requirement to show tagged and untagged instances with IDs.
- Trusted Advisor focuses on best practice checks, not comprehensive tag inventories.
- Cost Explorer groups usage by costs and tags but does not provide a full inventory of instance IDs.
- Resource Groups (option A) only create grouped views based on tags and exclude untagged resources, missing part of the requirement.
Content Locked: The Expert Analysis #
You’ve identified the answer. But do you know the implementation details that separate a Junior from a Senior?
The Expert’s Analysis #
Correct Answer #
Option D
The Winning Logic #
Using AWS Resource Groups Tag Editor is the most operationally efficient choice because:
- Cross-region visibility: Tag Editor can search across all AWS regions simultaneously.
- Comprehensive resource listing: It can list both tagged and untagged EC2 instances.
- Resource and tag details: It shows instance IDs along with current tags.
- GUI and CLI support: Provides a user-friendly interface and CLI integration, reducing manual scripting or API calls.
- Bulk tagging capability: Enables easy tagging changes after inventory review.
This meets the requirement exactly without involving cost-centric (Cost Explorer) or advisory (Trusted Advisor) tools that are either indirect or incomplete for this task.
The Trap (Distractor Analysis): #
- Option A: Resource Groups create tag-based groups, so untagged instances are excluded. This does not meet the requirement to identify all instances.
- Option B: Trusted Advisor’s EC2 checks focus on underutilization or security best practices, not on comprehensive tagging or instance inventory.
- Option C: Cost Explorer focuses on cost and usage data grouped by tag keys, but it does not provide a full inventory of EC2 instance IDs across accounts or regions, and excludes untagged resources by design.
The Technical Blueprint #
# Example CLI command to list EC2 instances with their tags across all regions using Tag Editor API
aws resourcegroupstaggingapi get-resources --resource-type-filters ec2:instance --region us-east-1 --output json
# or using the AWS Console:
# Navigate to AWS Resource Groups -> Tag Editor
# Select "Regions: All Selected Regions"
# Select "Resource types: AWS::EC2::Instance"
# Review the list of instance IDs and their tags.
The Comparative Analysis (SysOps Focus) #
| Option | Operational Overhead | Automation Level | Impact on Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Low (simple group creation) | Manual | Excludes untagged instances; incomplete |
| B | Medium (export reports manually) | Low | Indirect; focuses on best practices, not tags |
| C | Medium-High (filters costs and tags) | Partial automation | Does not list instance IDs; cost-centred only |
| D | Low (built-in cross-region tagging tool) | High (CLI & Console) | Complete; lists all instances with tags |
Real-World Application (Practitioner Insight) #
Exam Rule #
“For SOA exams, when tasked with cross-region inventory of tagged and untagged EC2 resources, AWS Resource Groups Tag Editor is your go-to tool.”
Real World #
“In real scenarios, SRE teams automate this process using Tag Editor API or Systems Manager Inventory, but for straightforward reports the Tag Editor GUI or CLI is the cleanest and most operationally efficient approach.”
(CTA) Stop Guessing, Start Mastering #
Disclaimer
This is a study note based on simulated scenarios for the SOA-C02 exam.