- A
Skip any records that have extra columns by adding a conditional check in the Glue script.
Why wrong: Skipping records leads to data loss; the job should handle extra columns gracefully.
- B
Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the resolveChoice method to make the schema consistent.
resolveChoice can handle schema drift by casting or dropping columns, making the job resilient.
- C
Manually update the Redshift staging table schema whenever the source data changes.
Why wrong: Manual intervention is not robust and does not scale; the job should handle schema drift automatically.
- D
Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the dropFields method to remove extra columns before writing.
Why wrong: dropFields requires knowing which columns to drop; it does not handle dynamic drift automatically.
Quick Answer
The correct approach is to use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the `resolveChoice` method to handle the schema drift. This method directly addresses the intermittent `INSERT has more expressions than target columns` error by allowing you to specify how to manage columns that appear inconsistently across records—for example, by casting them to a common type, dropping them, or making them null—without requiring manual schema updates or fragile conditional logic. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of DynamicFrame’s schema flexibility versus the rigid schema of DataFrames, and it often appears as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose to alter the Redshift table schema or add conditional checks in the ETL script. Remember: when source columns come and go, `resolveChoice` is the pro—it lets you choose how to handle the drift so your job doesn’t sink.
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 AWS Glue to run ETL jobs that process data from Amazon S3 and write results to Amazon Redshift. The Glue job uses the JDBC connection to Redshift. Recently, the job has been failing intermittently with the error: 'java.sql.SQLException: [Amazon](500310) Invalid operation: INSERT has more expressions than target columns;' The Glue job writes to a staging table in Redshift before performing a merge into the final table. The staging table schema matches the source data. The error occurs only on some days and affects different columns each time. The data engineer suspects that the source data occasionally contains extra columns due to a schema drift in the upstream data producer. Which approach should the data engineer take to handle this issue robustly?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the resolveChoice method to make the schema consistent.
Option B is correct because Glue DynamicFrames can automatically handle schema drift using the `resolveChoice` method, which allows you to specify how to handle columns that appear inconsistently across records (e.g., making them null, casting to a common type, or dropping them). This directly addresses the intermittent error caused by extra columns in the source data without requiring manual schema updates or fragile conditional logic.
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.
- ✗
Skip any records that have extra columns by adding a conditional check in the Glue script.
Why it's wrong here
Skipping records leads to data loss; the job should handle extra columns gracefully.
- ✓
Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the resolveChoice method to make the schema consistent.
Why this is correct
resolveChoice can handle schema drift by casting or dropping columns, making the job resilient.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Manually update the Redshift staging table schema whenever the source data changes.
Why it's wrong here
Manual intervention is not robust and does not scale; the job should handle schema drift automatically.
- ✗
Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the dropFields method to remove extra columns before writing.
Why it's wrong here
dropFields requires knowing which columns to drop; it does not handle dynamic drift automatically.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse `dropFields` (which removes specific columns statically) with `resolveChoice` (which handles dynamic schema drift), leading them to choose Option D even though it cannot adapt to varying extra columns across different days.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `resolveChoice` method in AWS Glue DynamicFrames can be configured with options like `make_cols` (to add missing columns as nulls) or `project` (to keep only common columns), which is ideal for handling schema drift in semi-structured data like JSON or Parquet. Under the hood, Glue reads the source data into a DynamicFrame, which tracks schema variations per record, and then applies the chosen resolution before writing to the target. In a real-world scenario, this is critical when upstream producers add optional fields (e.g., new metadata tags) without notice, ensuring the ETL job remains resilient without manual intervention.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Data Operations and Support — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Data Operations and Support practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DEA-C01 questions
1,786 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DEA-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DEA-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Data Ingestion and Transformation practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Ingestion and Transformation.
Data Operations and Support practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Operations and Support.
Data Security and Governance practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Security and Governance.
Data Store Management practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Store Management.
DEA-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 fundamentals.
DEA-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 scenario.
DEA-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DEA-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: Use a Glue DynamicFrame and apply the resolveChoice method to make the schema consistent. — Option B is correct because Glue DynamicFrames can automatically handle schema drift using the `resolveChoice` method, which allows you to specify how to handle columns that appear inconsistently across records (e.g., making them null, casting to a common type, or dropping them). This directly addresses the intermittent error caused by extra columns in the source data without requiring manual schema updates or fragile conditional logic.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.