DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
A data engineer manages an AWS Glue job that processes JSON files from Amazon S3 and writes to Amazon Redshift. The job fails with the error "Unable to find a suitable JDBC driver". The engineer has verified that the Glue connection to Redshift is configured correctly and the IAM role has the necessary permissions. What is the most likely cause of this error?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a configured Glue connection automatically provides the JDBC driver, when in fact the driver must be supplied separately.
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
✓
The Glue job's script is missing the required JDBC driver dependency, and the job's dependent jars path is not set.
AWS Glue jobs require the appropriate JDBC driver to connect to Amazon Redshift. The driver is not included in the Glue environment by default, so the engineer must provide it via the dependent jars path. The error indicates the driver class is missing, which is resolved by adding the driver JAR. Network and IAM issues would produce different errors.
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 Redshift cluster is in a private subnet, and the Glue job cannot reach it due to a missing NAT gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Network connectivity issues typically produce timeout errors or connection refused messages, not a missing JDBC driver error. Since the connection is configured correctly and permissions are verified, a missing NAT gateway would manifest differently. The error explicitly points to a driver class not being found.
- ✓
The Glue job's script is missing the required JDBC driver dependency, and the job's dependent jars path is not set.
Why this is correct
AWS Glue does not include the Redshift JDBC driver by default. The engineer must specify the driver's S3 path in the job's dependent jars path or include it as a job parameter. Without it, the job cannot load the driver class, causing this error. The connection and IAM role are unrelated to driver availability.
- ✗
The Glue job's IAM role lacks permissions to access the Redshift cluster's metadata.
Why it's wrong here
IAM permissions control authorization, not driver loading. If permissions were missing, the error would be an access denied message from Redshift or S3. The job would still find the driver and attempt to connect. The error indicates a class not found, which is a dependency issue.
- ✗
The Redshift cluster's security group does not allow inbound traffic from the Glue job's ENI.
Why it's wrong here
Security group issues cause connection timeouts or refused connections, not driver errors. The Glue job would still load the driver and then fail to establish a network connection. The error message explicitly states the driver cannot be found, which is a software dependency problem.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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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.