Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Step Functions, as it is the correct service to orchestrate AWS Glue jobs with dependencies and retries. Step Functions allows you to define complex workflows as state machines, where each step can invoke a Glue job, and you can configure retry logic using built-in error handling patterns like exponential backoff or fallback states. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between orchestration services: while Amazon MWAA (Airflow) can also manage dependencies, it introduces unnecessary complexity for Glue-centric pipelines, and CloudWatch Events only triggers jobs without managing inter-step dependencies. A common trap is choosing Lambda, but it is not designed for long-running orchestration and lacks native retry policies for multi-step workflows. Memory tip: think of Step Functions as the "conductor" that coordinates Glue jobs with automatic retries, while other services are either too simple or too heavy for this specific task.
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 transform data in Amazon S3. The transformation logic is complex and involves multiple steps. The data engineer wants to implement a workflow that handles dependencies and retries on failure. Which AWS service should be used to orchestrate the Glue jobs?
AWS Step Functions
Step Functions can orchestrate Glue jobs with retries and error handling.
AWS Lambda
Why wrong: Lambda is not designed for orchestrating long-running jobs.
Amazon Managed Workflows for Apache Airflow (MWAA)
Why wrong: MWAA can orchestrate but is more complex and may be overkill for simple workflows.
Amazon CloudWatch Events
Why wrong: CloudWatch Events can trigger jobs but cannot handle dependencies.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Step Functions
Option A is correct because AWS Step Functions can orchestrate multiple Glue jobs with error handling and retries. Option B is wrong because Amazon MWAA (Airflow) can also orchestrate but is more complex. Option C is wrong because Amazon CloudWatch Events schedules jobs but does not handle dependencies. Option D is wrong because AWS Lambda is not designed for orchestration of long-running jobs.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Step Functions
Why this is correct
Step Functions can orchestrate Glue jobs with retries and error handling.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
Lambda is not designed for orchestrating long-running jobs.
Amazon Managed Workflows for Apache Airflow (MWAA)
Why it's wrong here
MWAA can orchestrate but is more complex and may be overkill for simple workflows.
Amazon CloudWatch Events
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Events can trigger jobs but cannot handle dependencies.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
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FAQ
Data Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Step Functions — Option A is correct because AWS Step Functions can orchestrate multiple Glue jobs with error handling and retries. Option B is wrong because Amazon MWAA (Airflow) can also orchestrate but is more complex. Option C is wrong because Amazon CloudWatch Events schedules jobs but does not handle dependencies. Option D is wrong because AWS Lambda is not designed for orchestration of long-running jobs.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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.
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