The answer is to verify the IAM policy on GlueServiceRole includes s3:PutObject and to check the S3 bucket policy for explicit denies. This is correct because the error “Access Denied when writing to S3” indicates that while the Glue job’s IAM role may have broad permissions, a bucket policy can override those with an explicit deny statement, or the role itself may lack the specific write permission. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to troubleshoot AWS Glue job S3 access denied scenarios by distinguishing between identity-based policies (IAM) and resource-based policies (bucket policies). A common trap is assuming the IAM role alone is sufficient—bucket policies are evaluated separately and can block access even if the role allows it. Memory tip: think “IAM allows, bucket denies” — always check both sides of the permission fence.
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 data engineer is troubleshooting an AWS Glue ETL job that fails with the error: 'An error occurred while calling o123.pyWriteDynamicFrame. Access Denied when writing to S3 bucket: my-bucket'. The job uses a Glue service role named 'GlueServiceRole'. Which TWO actions should the engineer take to resolve the issue? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check if the S3 bucket policy denies access from the GlueServiceRole.
Option C is correct because the error message indicates an access denied when writing to S3, which can be caused by a bucket policy that explicitly denies the Glue service role's access, even if the IAM policy allows it. Option D is correct because the IAM policy attached to GlueServiceRole must include the s3:PutObject permission on the specific bucket to allow the Glue job to write data.
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.
✗
Disable S3 Block Public Access on the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Block Public Access does not affect IAM role access.
✗
Grant the GlueServiceRole permission to write to the AWS Glue Data Catalog.
Why it's wrong here
Catalog permissions are for metadata, not S3 write.
✓
Check if the S3 bucket policy denies access from the GlueServiceRole.
Why this is correct
Bucket policy may override IAM permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Verify that the IAM policy attached to GlueServiceRole includes s3:PutObject on the bucket.
Why this is correct
Write permission is required.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ensure the Glue job is in the same VPC as the S3 bucket.
Why it's wrong here
S3 is global; VPC endpoints are for private connectivity, not permissions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse S3 access errors with network or VPC issues, but S3 is a global service and access is governed by IAM and bucket policies, not VPC placement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Glue ETL jobs use the service role's IAM policy to make S3 API calls, but S3 bucket policies can override or deny those permissions if they explicitly deny the principal (the role) or have a condition that blocks the request. The error 'Access Denied' often occurs when an S3 bucket policy has a Deny statement that matches the role's ARN, even if the IAM policy allows s3:PutObject; the effective permission is the intersection of all policies, and a Deny always wins.
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 — 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: Check if the S3 bucket policy denies access from the GlueServiceRole. — Option C is correct because the error message indicates an access denied when writing to S3, which can be caused by a bucket policy that explicitly denies the Glue service role's access, even if the IAM policy allows it. Option D is correct because the IAM policy attached to GlueServiceRole must include the s3:PutObject permission on the specific bucket to allow the Glue job to write data.
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.
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Question Discussion
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