IBM Instana Observability v1.0.277 Administrator - Professional C1000-189 Exam Practice Test

Answer : D

The primary configuration file specifying Instana server connection parameters for the host agent is com.instana.agent.main.sender.Server.cfg. The IBM documentation affirms: 'The Server.cfg file inside the agent's configuration directory defines backend connection endpoints, ports, and security tokens to communicate with the Instana backend or cluster installation.' This file is referenced on agent startup and dictates host-server routing, clustering, authentication, and TLS endpoints. Other config files control agent properties or log shipping, not backend connectivity. Editing Server.cfg is the recommended method for specifying on-premises, private cloud, or SaaS endpoints for all monitored agents.

Answer : D

To successfully achieve automatic correlation between frontend and backend traces, Instana requires backend services to expose a trace identity. The IBM Instana EUM and tracing correlation section confirms: 'Automatic backend correlation requires exposure and propagation of the backend trace ID to connect user interaction traces with backend processing traces.' When the EUM agent operates in browsers or mobile interfaces, it injects headers containing Trace and Span IDs into subsequent backend HTTP requests. Backend instrumentation must read and propagate these identifiers through service calls so Instana can unify them into a single end-to-end transaction trace. Proper correlation connects a user's session-to-service journey across web, application, and infrastructure layers, a fundamental aspect of Instana's distributed tracing model. Lacking backend trace ID propagation causes separated traces that cannot be linked, even if HTTPS, SDK, or application perspectives are configured correctly. This mechanism remains fully verified in the IBM Instana Observability Tracing Integration Guide.

Answer : A

Within Instana, action script sensors execute administrative or diagnostic commands in context of the runtime environment that hosts the Instana agent. The current IBM documentation specifies: 'Action scripts are executed by the Instana agent process on the monitored host using the permissions and context of that agent.' The agent serves as a self-contained runtime capable of executing defined scripts, invoking system-level or application-specific logic safely within its host boundary. This design enhances automation and extensibility while respecting host-level security because the execution does not escalate privileges beyond the agent's service account. Instana ensures that scripts running within the agent context inherit its environment variables and operational limits, guaranteeing consistency and preventing user-specific execution inconsistencies. Other answer options (service agent, container, or logged-in user) do not reflect the actual architectural control documented by IBM, where the primary host agent controls all action-based script invocations.

Answer : B

IBM Instana supports direct monitoring of AWS Lambda via serverless-specific agents that bridge trace, metric, and log data between Lambda executions and the Instana backend. The documentation specifies: 'Instana's serverless agents enable tracing and monitoring of AWS Lambda functions---including cold start events, performance, and error metrics---correlating invocation traces with upstream and downstream services.' Lambda is the only public cloud-native serverless runtime natively and fully integrated with Instana's instrumentation and tracing. Azure Redis Cache, AWS Kinesis, and AWS SQS are data stores or message services, not supported for full serverless agent instrumentation (though they may be monitored via associated infrastructure and integration sensors). Instana's Lambda agent is deployed as a Lambda layer or sidecar, delivering first-class observability for serverless architectures.

Answer : C

According to IBM Instana documentation, access rights for users belonging to multiple groups are resolved by applying the most restrictive role. The documentation states: 'If a user belongs to more than one group, the permissions are set according to the order: No access > Limited access > Access all. If there's a conflict, 'No access' always takes precedence, followed by 'Limited access,' then 'Access all.'' This ensures that users do not gain unintended permissions due to overlapping group assignments and supports the principle of least privilege. This behavior is critical for security compliance and consistent access control, especially in regulated environments or where different teams have varying visibility requirements. By enforcing the strictest restriction, Instana reduces risk from misconfigurations and accidental escalation of privilege, and helps satisfy audit trail and governance requirements in enterprise use cases.

Answer : C

IBM Instana documentation describes automated event management for Synthetic Points of Presence (PoP). When a Synthetic PoP is uninstalled or goes offline, Instana's event model will automatically trigger the 'Synthetic pop status' event. The verified statement found in the latest docs: 'The 'Synthetic pop status' built-in event automatically triggers when a Synthetic PoP is uninstalled or taken offline, notifying administrators for actionable response.' No manual intervention or custom rule creation is needed (A, B), and default event logic already covers all offline or removal states so configuration changes (D) aren't necessary. This ensures real-time visibility for operational teams to maintain synthetic coverage, immediately alerting when synthetic endpoint monitoring is compromised or reconfigured. Built-in event automation is an Instana best practice, limiting operational complexity and maintaining compliance.

Answer : A

IBM Instana leverages the open-source and widely recognized GeoLite2 database for mapping user IP addresses to their approximate physical locations in synthetic and real user monitoring scenarios. The documentation details: 'Instana provides geographical and location metadata based on the GeoLite2 database, which is regularly updated for improved accuracy and privacy compliance.' GeoLite2 is a MaxMind-developed database providing country, city, region, and sometimes ISP-level information from IP addresses. Using an on-premise and regularly-curated geo database ensures no end-user data is ever transmitted to external or third-party web mapping services (such as Google Maps), maintaining strong data privacy and compliance for enterprise customers. Other listed tools are not native to Instana's geo lookup implementation.