The answer is that the analyst lacks Lake Formation permissions on the table. This is the most likely cause because AWS Lake Formation acts as a fine-grained permission layer that sits above Amazon S3 and IAM; even if the analyst has IAM permissions to run Athena and the table appears in the catalog, Lake Formation requires explicit SELECT grants on the table resource itself. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that Lake Formation permissions are separate from and can override IAM and S3 policies—a common trap is assuming IAM access alone is sufficient. Remember the memory tip: "Lake Formation is the bouncer at the door—IAM gets you into the club, but Lake Formation decides which tables you can dance with."
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 Lake Formation to manage data lake permissions. A data analyst cannot query a table in Athena, although the table appears in the catalog. The analyst has IAM permissions to run Athena. What is the MOST likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The analyst lacks Lake Formation permissions on the table.
Option B is correct because Lake Formation permissions are separate from IAM; the analyst needs SELECT permissions granted via Lake Formation. Option A is wrong because S3 bucket policy may allow access but Lake Formation can override. Option C is wrong because the table appears, so catalog permissions are likely fine. Option D is wrong because Athena workgroup permissions are not related.
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.
✗
The Glue Data Catalog does not have the table registered.
Why it's wrong here
The table appears, so it is registered.
✗
The S3 bucket policy denies access to the analyst's IAM role.
Why it's wrong here
Lake Formation permissions are separate; S3 policy is not the issue if Lake Formation is used.
✓
The analyst lacks Lake Formation permissions on the table.
Why this is correct
Lake Formation grants fine-grained permissions; the analyst needs SELECT.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The Athena workgroup is not configured with the correct output location.
Why it's wrong here
Workgroup configuration affects query results, not table visibility.
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 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 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: The analyst lacks Lake Formation permissions on the table. — Option B is correct because Lake Formation permissions are separate from IAM; the analyst needs SELECT permissions granted via Lake Formation. Option A is wrong because S3 bucket policy may allow access but Lake Formation can override. Option C is wrong because the table appears, so catalog permissions are likely fine. Option D is wrong because Athena workgroup permissions are not related.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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