- A
Reduce the volume of incoming data
Why wrong: Not a practical solution.
- B
Configure the job to use a larger memory setting
Why wrong: Glue does not allow direct memory configuration.
- C
Use a smaller file size for input
Why wrong: May not resolve OutOfMemory.
- D
Increase the number of DPUs allocated to the Glue job
More DPUs provide more memory and compute.
Question 191 of 1,786
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 company is ingesting data from multiple sources into S3 using AWS Glue. The data engineer notices that the Glue job is failing with an OutOfMemory error. Which step should be taken to resolve this issue?
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
✓
Increase the number of DPUs allocated to the Glue job
AWS Glue jobs run on Apache Spark, which distributes data processing across multiple executors. An OutOfMemory error typically indicates that the data being processed exceeds the memory available to the executors. Increasing the number of DPUs (Data Processing Units) allocates more memory and compute resources to the job, allowing it to handle larger datasets without running out of 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.
- ✗
Reduce the volume of incoming data
Why it's wrong here
Not a practical solution.
- ✗
Configure the job to use a larger memory setting
Why it's wrong here
Glue does not allow direct memory configuration.
- ✗
Use a smaller file size for input
Why it's wrong here
May not resolve OutOfMemory.
- ✓
Increase the number of DPUs allocated to the Glue job
Why this is correct
More DPUs provide more memory and compute.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think they can directly increase memory settings (Option B) or reduce data volume (Option A), but AWS Glue abstracts memory management through DPUs, and the correct approach is to increase DPU allocation to provide more resources.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Glue uses Apache Spark under the hood, where each DPU provides 4 vCPU and 16 GB of memory. The default maximum DPU for a Glue job is 100, but you can increase it up to 299. OutOfMemory errors often occur due to data skew or insufficient shuffle partitions; increasing DPUs not only adds memory but also increases parallelism, which can help distribute the load more evenly. In real-world scenarios, you might also need to tune Spark configurations like spark.sql.shuffle.partitions or use salting techniques to handle skewed keys.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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 DPUs allocated to the Glue job — AWS Glue jobs run on Apache Spark, which distributes data processing across multiple executors. An OutOfMemory error typically indicates that the data being processed exceeds the memory available to the executors. Increasing the number of DPUs (Data Processing Units) allocates more memory and compute resources to the job, allowing it to handle larger datasets without running out of memory.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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