The answer is to reduce the number of DPUs allocated to the job and to use the G.1X worker type. This is correct because AWS Glue billing is based on the number of DPUs (Data Processing Units) consumed per second, so lowering the DPU count directly reduces compute costs when the data volume is small, while the G.1X worker type offers the most cost-effective balance of memory and vCPU for standard ETL workloads—switching to G.2X would double the cost per worker without performance benefit. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of AWS Glue job cost optimization as a core cost-control concept, often appearing with distractors like increasing retries or enabling Spark UI logging, which only add cost or have no impact. A common trap is assuming more resources always speed up jobs, but for small datasets, over-provisioning DPUs wastes money. Memory tip: “Small data, small DPU—G.1X is the go-to.”
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 AWS Glue to run ETL jobs daily. The data engineer wants to reduce costs by optimizing the job configuration. Which two actions will help reduce costs? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use G.1X worker type instead of G.2X
Options A and D are correct. Using a smaller DPU count reduces compute cost. Using G.1X worker type (default) is cost-effective; using G.2X would increase cost. Option B (increasing retries) may increase cost. Option C (increasing timeout) has no cost impact. Option E (Spark UI logging) adds cost.
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.
✓
Use G.1X worker type instead of G.2X
Why this is correct
G.1X is half the cost of G.2X.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the job timeout to 48 hours
Why it's wrong here
Does not reduce cost; may keep resources idle.
✗
Enable Spark UI logging for debugging
Why it's wrong here
Adds logging cost and overhead.
✓
Reduce the number of DPUs allocated to the job if the data volume is small
Why this is correct
Lower DPUs reduce compute cost.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the number of job retries to handle transient failures
Why it's wrong here
More retries increase cost.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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 Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use G.1X worker type instead of G.2X — Options A and D are correct. Using a smaller DPU count reduces compute cost. Using G.1X worker type (default) is cost-effective; using G.2X would increase cost. Option B (increasing retries) may increase cost. Option C (increasing timeout) has no cost impact. Option E (Spark UI logging) adds cost.
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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This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DEA-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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