- A
AWS Glue Data Catalog
The Data Catalog stores schema and partition metadata.
- B
AWS Glue job bookmarks
Why wrong: Bookmarks track job state for incremental processing.
- C
AWS Glue FindMatches transform
Why wrong: FindMatches is for record linkage.
- D
AWS Glue crawlers
Crawlers discover schema and update the Data Catalog.
- E
Partition indexes
Partition indexes improve query performance by pruning.
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 data engineer needs to transform data in Amazon S3 using AWS Glue. The job must handle schema evolution and partition pruning. Which THREE features should be used?
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
AWS Glue Data Catalog
AWS Glue Data Catalog (A) is correct because it acts as a central metadata repository that stores table definitions and schema information. When schema evolution occurs (e.g., new columns are added in Parquet or JSON data), the Data Catalog can be updated via crawlers or manual schema registration, allowing Glue ETL jobs to dynamically adapt to changing schemas without hardcoding column structures.
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.
- ✓
AWS Glue Data Catalog
Why this is correct
The Data Catalog stores schema and partition metadata.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
AWS Glue job bookmarks
Why it's wrong here
Bookmarks track job state for incremental processing.
- ✗
AWS Glue FindMatches transform
Why it's wrong here
FindMatches is for record linkage.
- ✓
AWS Glue crawlers
Why this is correct
Crawlers discover schema and update the Data Catalog.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Partition indexes
Why this is correct
Partition indexes improve query performance by pruning.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The DEA-C01 exam often tests the distinction between 'incremental processing' (job bookmarks) and 'schema evolution' (Data Catalog + crawlers), leading candidates to incorrectly select job bookmarks for schema changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Partition pruning works by leveraging the Hive-style partition structure (e.g., year=2023/month=01/day=15) stored in the Glue Data Catalog. When a Glue job uses pushdown predicates or partition indexes (E), Spark's query engine reads only the relevant partition directories from S3, drastically reducing I/O. Partition indexes (E) are a Data Catalog feature that pre-computes partition metadata for faster filtering, especially useful when tables have millions of partitions.
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.
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: AWS Glue Data Catalog — AWS Glue Data Catalog (A) is correct because it acts as a central metadata repository that stores table definitions and schema information. When schema evolution occurs (e.g., new columns are added in Parquet or JSON data), the Data Catalog can be updated via crawlers or manual schema registration, allowing Glue ETL jobs to dynamically adapt to changing schemas without hardcoding column structures.
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
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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