DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
A data engineer is troubleshooting a failed AWS Glue job that reads from an Apache Hive metastore in an Amazon EMR cluster. The error message indicates 'ClassNotFoundException: org.apache.hadoop.hive.ql.metadata.HiveException'. The Glue job uses a custom Python shell script. What is the most likely cause of this error?
⚠ Common exam trap
DEA-C01 often tests the confusion between dependency/classpath errors and network or IAM errors — candidates see 'Hive' and reach for IAM or connectivity fixes when the error is a missing JAR on the classpath.
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
✓
Include the Hive JAR files in the 'Python library path' or use a Glue version with Hive support.
The 'ClassNotFoundException' for a Hive class indicates the Hive JARs are not on the classpath at runtime. AWS Glue's Python shell jobs run in an environment that does not include Hive libraries by default, so the engineer must either add the Hive JARs to the Python library path or use a Glue version/configuration that bundles Hive support. This is a classpath/dependency issue, not a network or IAM problem.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Check the network connectivity between Glue and the EMR cluster.
Why it's wrong here
Connectivity failures produce timeouts or connection refused errors, not ClassNotFoundException, which is a classpath problem. It is tempting because Glue reaching an EMR metastore does depend on network paths, and checking connectivity is correct when the job cannot establish a TCP session at all.
- ✓
Include the Hive JAR files in the 'Python library path' or use a Glue version with Hive support.
Why this is correct
The ClassNotFoundException for the Hive metastore class means the Hive client JARs are absent from the Python shell job's classpath. Adding the Hive JARs to the Python library path, or using a Glue version bundling Hive support, supplies the missing classes.
- ✗
Modify the Python script to import the Hive libraries manually.
Why it's wrong here
Python shell jobs run without the Spark/Hive runtime, so importing Hive libraries manually cannot supply the absent JVM classes. It is tempting because import errors superficially resemble missing modules, and adding imports is right for pure-Python dependency gaps, not for Hadoop classpath requirements.
- ✗
Update the IAM role to allow 'hive:Describe*' actions.
Why it's wrong here
IAM permissions govern authorisation, not classpath resolution; the missing Hive classes cannot be granted via hive:Describe* actions. It is tempting because Glue-to-metastore failures often stem from access misconfiguration, and such policies are correct when the job is denied rather than throwing ClassNotFoundException.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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.