AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
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A company has a production workload that runs on 1,000 Amazon EC2 Linux instances. The workload is powered by third-party software. The company needs to patch the third-party software on all EC2 instances as quickly as possible to remediate a critical security vulnerability.
What should a solutions architect do to meet these requirements?
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UAnonymous
A
Create an AWS Lambda function to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
B
Configure AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
C
Schedule an AWS Systems Manager maintenance window to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
D
Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to run a custom command that applies the patch to all EC2 instances.
Explanation:
Explanation
Correct Answer: D - Use AWS Systems Manager Run Command to run a custom command that applies the patch to all EC2 instances.
Why this is the best solution:
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Third-party software patching: AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager is designed for patching operating systems and AWS-provided software, but for third-party software, you typically need custom patching procedures. Run Command allows you to execute custom scripts or commands across multiple instances.
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Speed requirement: The question emphasizes "as quickly as possible." Run Command can execute commands across all 1,000 instances simultaneously, making it the fastest option.
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Scale: Managing 1,000 EC2 instances requires an automated, scalable solution. Run Command is designed for this exact purpose.
Analysis of other options:
A. Create an AWS Lambda function to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
- While possible, this is more complex and requires additional development work
- Lambda functions have execution time limits that might be problematic for patching 1,000 instances
- Not the most efficient or AWS-recommended approach for this specific use case
B. Configure AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
- Patch Manager is excellent for OS and AWS software patches
- However, for third-party software, it may not have the necessary patch definitions
- The question specifies "third-party software," making this less suitable
C. Schedule an AWS Systems Manager maintenance window to apply the patch to all EC2 instances.
- Maintenance windows are for scheduling operations during specific timeframes
- While you could use maintenance windows with Run Command, the question asks for the quickest approach
- Scheduling implies waiting for a maintenance window, which contradicts "as quickly as possible"
Key AWS Services Knowledge:
- AWS Systems Manager Run Command: Execute commands at scale on EC2 instances and on-premises servers
- AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager: Automate patching of operating systems and applications
- AWS Systems Manager Maintenance Windows: Schedule operations during specific timeframes
- AWS Lambda: Serverless compute service, not optimized for mass EC2 instance management
Best Practice Recommendation:
For patching third-party software quickly across many instances, use Systems Manager Run Command with a custom script that applies the specific patch required for the third-party software vulnerability.
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