Questions & Answers

Practice Exam Questions for Systems Manager

Question 1

What is required for an EC2 instance to be managed by Systems Manager?

A) SSH keys configured
B) SSM Agent installed and IAM role attached ✓
C) Public IP address
D) VPN connection

Correct Answer: B

SSM Agent must be installed on the instance and an IAM role with appropriate permissions must be attached. No SSH keys or public IP required.

Question 2

Which Systems Manager feature provides secure shell access without SSH keys or bastion hosts?

A) Session Manager ✓
B) Run Command
C) Patch Manager
D) Parameter Store

Correct Answer: A

Session Manager provides browser-based shell access without SSH keys, bastion hosts, or open inbound ports. All access is IAM-controlled and fully audited.

Question 3

What is the maximum size for a Standard tier parameter in Parameter Store?

A) 2KB
B) 4KB ✓
C) 8KB
D) 16KB

Correct Answer: B

Standard tier parameters can be up to 4KB. Advanced tier parameters can be up to 8KB but cost $0.05 per parameter per month.

Question 4

Which feature automates OS patching with compliance reporting?

A) Run Command
B) Patch Manager ✓
C) Automation
D) State Manager

Correct Answer: B

Patch Manager automates patching with patch baselines, maintenance windows, and built-in compliance reporting.

Question 5

What is the cost for managing on-premises servers with Systems Manager?

A) Free
B) $0.00695 per instance per month ✓
C) $0.05 per instance per month
D) $1.00 per instance per month

Correct Answer: B

On-premises instances cost $0.00695 per instance per month. EC2 instances are free for most Systems Manager features.

Question 6

Which parameter type in Parameter Store is encrypted with KMS?

A) String
B) StringList
C) SecureString ✓
D) All types are encrypted

Correct Answer: C

SecureString parameters are encrypted using AWS KMS. String and StringList types are stored as plain text.

Question 7

What is the maximum number of concurrent Run Command executions per account?

A) 50
B) 100 ✓
C) 500
D) 1000

Correct Answer: B

The default limit is 100 concurrent Run Command executions per account. This limit can be increased by requesting a quota increase.

Question 8

Which Systems Manager feature uses runbooks for workflow automation?

A) Run Command
B) Automation ✓
C) Session Manager
D) Patch Manager

Correct Answer: B

Automation uses runbooks (Automation documents) to define multi-step workflows. It supports approval gates, branching, and integration with other AWS services.

Exam Strategy Tip

For Systems Manager questions, remember: SSM Agent + IAM role required for managed instances. Session Manager eliminates SSH/bastion hosts. Parameter Store Standard is free. Patch Manager for automated patching. Automation uses runbooks.

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