The answer is to increase the number of G.1X workers or switch to G.2X workers, as this directly addresses the AWS Glue job Out of Memory error by allocating more memory per worker without altering the existing code. When a Glue job reads several large compressed files from S3, the default worker configuration may not provide enough distributed processing units (DPUs) to handle the data expansion during decompression, causing memory exhaustion. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Glue’s worker types and scaling strategies—a common trap is to suggest repartitioning or changing file formats, which either require code changes or fail to fix the root memory issue. Remember the memory tip: “More workers, more memory—no code, no worry.”
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
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 uses AWS Glue to process data from S3. The Glue job frequently fails with 'Out of Memory' errors. The job reads several large compressed files. What is the MOST effective way to resolve this issue without changing the code?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the number of G.1X workers or use G.2X workers
Option C is correct because increasing the number of G.1X workers (DPU) provides more memory per worker. Option A (changing file type) may help but is not directly about memory. Option B (repartition) requires code change. Option D (increasing timeout) does not fix memory.
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 G.1X workers or use G.2X workers
Why this is correct
More workers or higher memory workers provide more heap space for processing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Convert the compressed files to uncompressed format before processing
Why it's wrong here
Uncompressed files may reduce memory overhead but increase storage and cost.
✗
Repartition the data to fewer partitions
Why it's wrong here
Fewer partitions may reduce parallelism but could worsen memory pressure.
✗
Increase the job timeout setting
Why it's wrong here
Timeout does not affect memory allocation.
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 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 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 — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the number of G.1X workers or use G.2X workers — Option C is correct because increasing the number of G.1X workers (DPU) provides more memory per worker. Option A (changing file type) may help but is not directly about memory. Option B (repartition) requires code change. Option D (increasing timeout) does not fix memory.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.