Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Lambda, because it is the simplest and most direct service to trigger a data transformation automatically on an S3 file upload. When a CSV file lands in an S3 bucket, an S3 event notification can be configured to invoke a Lambda function directly, which then processes the file—adding a timestamp column—and loads the transformed data into Amazon Redshift. This pattern tests your understanding of event-driven architectures on the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, where a common trap is choosing Amazon SQS or EventBridge; however, S3 events natively integrate with Lambda without needing an intermediary, while EventBridge requires a separate S3 event rule setup. A helpful memory tip is “S3 to Lambda is a direct handshake”—no queue or bus required for simple file-triggered transformations.
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. 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 needs to design a data ingestion pipeline that ingests CSV files from an Amazon S3 bucket, transforms the data by adding a timestamp column, and loads it into an Amazon Redshift table. The pipeline should run automatically whenever a new file is uploaded to the S3 bucket. Which AWS service should be used to trigger the transformation?
AWS Lambda
Lambda can be triggered directly by S3 events.
AWS Step Functions
Why wrong: Step Functions would need an event source; Lambda is more direct.
Amazon EventBridge
Why wrong: EventBridge can receive S3 events but requires a rule; Lambda direct trigger is simpler.
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why wrong: SQS requires an S3 event notification to send messages, then Lambda polls SQS; extra complexity.
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 Lambda
Option B is correct because S3 events can trigger a Lambda function directly. Option A is incorrect because SQS is not triggered by S3 events without a separate setup. Option C is incorrect because EventBridge cannot directly trigger Lambda from S3 events; S3 events go to Lambda via S3 notification. Option D is incorrect because Step Functions would need an event source; Lambda is simpler.
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 Lambda
Why this is correct
Lambda can be triggered directly by S3 events.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Step Functions
Why it's wrong here
Step Functions would need an event source; Lambda is more direct.
Amazon EventBridge
Why it's wrong here
EventBridge can receive S3 events but requires a rule; Lambda direct trigger is simpler.
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why it's wrong here
SQS requires an S3 event notification to send messages, then Lambda polls SQS; extra complexity.
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.
Data Ingestion and Transformation — study guide chapter
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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 Lambda — Option B is correct because S3 events can trigger a Lambda function directly. Option A is incorrect because SQS is not triggered by S3 events without a separate setup. Option C is incorrect because EventBridge cannot directly trigger Lambda from S3 events; S3 events go to Lambda via S3 notification. Option D is incorrect because Step Functions would need an event source; Lambda is simpler.
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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