The correct answer is to enable auto scaling on the DynamoDB table to handle increased write capacity. This resolves the ProvisionedThroughputExceededException because DynamoDB auto scaling dynamically adjusts the table’s provisioned write capacity units based on actual traffic, preventing throttling when the Lambda function’s write demand spikes. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to handle DynamoDB write capacity exceeded errors in a serverless pipeline, often paired with Kinesis and Lambda. A common trap is assuming that increasing the Lambda batch size will help, but that actually amplifies write requests and worsens throttling. Remember, auto scaling is the correct action because it matches throughput to demand without manual intervention. Memory tip: “Auto scale to prevail, batch size will fail.”
DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Amazon Kinesis Data Streams to ingest real-time clickstream data. The data is consumed by an AWS Lambda function that processes records and stores results in Amazon DynamoDB. Recently, the Lambda function has been failing with ProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. Which action should the data engineer take to resolve this issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable auto scaling on the DynamoDB table to handle increased write capacity.
Option A is correct because enabling DynamoDB auto scaling dynamically adjusts throughput to match demand. Option B is wrong because increasing Lambda batch size would increase write requests, worsening the problem. Option C is wrong because Lambda retries are already built-in but would still fail. Option D is wrong because disabling retries would lose data.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Enable auto scaling on the DynamoDB table to handle increased write capacity.
Why this is correct
Auto scaling adjusts throughput based on actual usage, preventing throttling.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reduce the number of shards in the Kinesis stream to lower the ingestion rate.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing shards decreases throughput, but the root cause is DynamoDB capacity, not ingestion rate.
✗
Increase the batch size in the Lambda event source mapping to process more records per invocation.
Why it's wrong here
Larger batch sizes increase write requests per invocation, making throttling worse.
✗
Configure the Lambda function to discard records that cause throttling errors.
Why it's wrong here
Discarding records leads to data loss and is not a recommended practice.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Operations and Support — This question tests Data Operations and Support — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable auto scaling on the DynamoDB table to handle increased write capacity. — Option A is correct because enabling DynamoDB auto scaling dynamically adjusts throughput to match demand. Option B is wrong because increasing Lambda batch size would increase write requests, worsening the problem. Option C is wrong because Lambda retries are already built-in but would still fail. Option D is wrong because disabling retries would lose data.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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