The correct choice is to use AWS Batch to run a containerized thumbnail generation job triggered by S3 events, because AWS Batch is purpose-built for long-running, CPU-intensive workloads like video processing that exceed Lambda’s 15-minute timeout. By packaging the thumbnail generation logic into a Docker container and submitting it as a Batch job, the data engineer offloads the heavy compute to a managed, scalable environment that can handle the 5-minute-per-video task reliably without timing out. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of when to move beyond serverless functions for compute-heavy, asynchronous tasks—a common trap is assuming you can simply increase the Lambda timeout, but that’s a poor practice for sustained CPU load. Remember the memory tip: “Lambda for light, Batch for heavy”—if the job takes minutes and burns CPU, Batch is your batch-processing hero.
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 media company ingests video files from content partners into an Amazon S3 bucket. Each video file is 10-50 GB. Upon upload, an AWS Lambda function is triggered to extract metadata (e.g., resolution, duration) and store it in DynamoDB. The company now wants to also generate a thumbnail image for each video. The thumbnail generation is CPU-intensive and can take up to 5 minutes per video. The Lambda function has a maximum execution time of 15 minutes. The company has noticed that some thumbnail generation tasks are timing out. What should the data engineer do to reliably generate thumbnails for all videos?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Batch to run a containerized thumbnail generation job triggered by S3 events
Option C is correct because AWS Batch is designed for long-running, compute-intensive jobs like video processing. Option A (increase Lambda timeout) is not a good practice for such heavy tasks. Option B (EC2 instance) requires manual management. Option D (Glue) is for ETL, not video processing.
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.
✗
Provision an EC2 instance to run a script that polls S3 for new videos and generates thumbnails
Why it's wrong here
Adds operational overhead and scaling issues.
✗
Use AWS Glue with a Python shell job to generate thumbnails
Why it's wrong here
Glue is for data transformation, not media processing.
✗
Increase the Lambda timeout to 15 minutes and allocate more memory
Why it's wrong here
Lambda is not ideal for CPU-intensive tasks; also, 15 min may still be insufficient.
✓
Use AWS Batch to run a containerized thumbnail generation job triggered by S3 events
Why this is correct
Batch is optimized for batch computing and can handle long-running jobs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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: Use AWS Batch to run a containerized thumbnail generation job triggered by S3 events — Option C is correct because AWS Batch is designed for long-running, compute-intensive jobs like video processing. Option A (increase Lambda timeout) is not a good practice for such heavy tasks. Option B (EC2 instance) requires manual management. Option D (Glue) is for ETL, not video processing.
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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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
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