The correct action is to add the `kinesis:DescribeStream` permission to the IAM role used by the Glue job. This error occurs because AWS Glue requires this specific permission to verify the stream’s existence, shard count, and health before reading data; without it, the job can intermittently fail with a `ResourceNotFoundException` for the Kinesis stream, especially during retries or reconnections. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM least-privilege permissions for streaming sources—a common trap is confusing a permissions issue with a scaling or naming problem, but note that a missing `DescribeStream` action causes intermittent failures, while a wrong stream name or case mismatch would cause consistent, immediate errors. Remember the memory tip: "Describe to detect"—if Glue can’t describe the stream, it can’t connect.
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 notices that an AWS Glue ETL job that processes streaming data from Amazon Kinesis Data Streams is failing intermittently with a 'ResourceNotFoundException' error for the Kinesis stream. The job has been running successfully for weeks. Which action should the engineer take to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add the 'kinesis:DescribeStream' permission to the IAM role used by the Glue job.
Option C is correct because the most common cause of intermittent 'ResourceNotFoundException' for a Kinesis stream is that the IAM role used by the Glue job does not have the kinesis:DescribeStream permission, which is required for the job to check stream details. Option A is incorrect because increasing the Kinesis shard count would not resolve a permissions issue. Option B is incorrect because the Kinesis stream name must match exactly; case sensitivity would cause a consistent error, not intermittent. Option D is incorrect because the timeout setting on the Glue job would not cause a resource not found error.
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.
✗
Increase the number of shards in the Kinesis data stream to handle higher throughput.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing shards addresses throughput, not permissions.
✗
Rename the Kinesis data stream to match the stream name used in the Glue job exactly, including case.
Why it's wrong here
Name mismatch would cause consistent failures, not intermittent.
✓
Add the 'kinesis:DescribeStream' permission to the IAM role used by the Glue job.
Why this is correct
Missing DescribeStream permission causes intermittent resource not found errors.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the timeout for the Glue job in the job configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout changes do not affect resource existence errors.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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: Add the 'kinesis:DescribeStream' permission to the IAM role used by the Glue job. — Option C is correct because the most common cause of intermittent 'ResourceNotFoundException' for a Kinesis stream is that the IAM role used by the Glue job does not have the kinesis:DescribeStream permission, which is required for the job to check stream details. Option A is incorrect because increasing the Kinesis shard count would not resolve a permissions issue. Option B is incorrect because the Kinesis stream name must match exactly; case sensitivity would cause a consistent error, not intermittent. Option D is incorrect because the timeout setting on the Glue job would not cause a resource not found error.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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