- A
The cluster's root device size is too large.
Why wrong: Root device size does not affect termination.
- B
The step failed with an error, but the status shows 'COMPLETED' due to a reporting bug.
Why wrong: Status is reliable.
- C
The cluster is configured as a long-running cluster.
Why wrong: It is described as transient.
- D
The step's 'ActionOnFailure' parameter is set to 'CONTINUE' and 'KeepClusterAliveOnFailure' is true.
These settings prevent auto-termination.
Question 962 of 1,786
DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses Amazon EMR to run Spark jobs on a transient cluster. The jobs are submitted via a step in the cluster. The cluster is configured to auto-terminate after the last step completes. However, the cluster is not terminating even though the step shows as 'COMPLETED'. What could be the cause?
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
✓
The step's 'ActionOnFailure' parameter is set to 'CONTINUE' and 'KeepClusterAliveOnFailure' is true.
Option D is correct. In Amazon EMR, the step-level parameter `KeepClusterAliveOnFailure` (or `KeepJobFlowAliveWhenNoSteps` for the cluster) can prevent auto-termination. When `ActionOnFailure` is set to `CONTINUE` and `KeepClusterAliveOnFailure` is `true`, the cluster remains running even after the last step completes, overriding the transient cluster's auto-terminate setting. Option A is incorrect because root device size does not affect termination. Option B is incorrect because the step status 'COMPLETED' indicates success, not a bug. Option C is incorrect because the cluster is explicitly configured as transient and auto-terminating, not long-running.
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.
- ✗
The cluster's root device size is too large.
Why it's wrong here
Root device size does not affect termination.
- ✗
The step failed with an error, but the status shows 'COMPLETED' due to a reporting bug.
Why it's wrong here
Status is reliable.
- ✗
The cluster is configured as a long-running cluster.
Why it's wrong here
It is described as transient.
- ✓
The step's 'ActionOnFailure' parameter is set to 'CONTINUE' and 'KeepClusterAliveOnFailure' is true.
Why this is correct
These settings prevent auto-termination.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Data Operations and Support practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DEA-C01 questions
1,786 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DEA-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DEA-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Data Ingestion and Transformation practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Ingestion and Transformation.
Data Operations and Support practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Operations and Support.
Data Security and Governance practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Security and Governance.
Data Store Management practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Store Management.
DEA-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 fundamentals.
DEA-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 scenario.
DEA-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DEA-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: The step's 'ActionOnFailure' parameter is set to 'CONTINUE' and 'KeepClusterAliveOnFailure' is true. — Option D is correct. In Amazon EMR, the step-level parameter `KeepClusterAliveOnFailure` (or `KeepJobFlowAliveWhenNoSteps` for the cluster) can prevent auto-termination. When `ActionOnFailure` is set to `CONTINUE` and `KeepClusterAliveOnFailure` is `true`, the cluster remains running even after the last step completes, overriding the transient cluster's auto-terminate setting. Option A is incorrect because root device size does not affect termination. Option B is incorrect because the step status 'COMPLETED' indicates success, not a bug. Option C is incorrect because the cluster is explicitly configured as transient and auto-terminating, not long-running.
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 →
Keep practising
More DEA-C01 practice questions
- A data pipeline uses Kinesis Data Firehose to deliver streaming data to an S3 bucket. The data volume spikes occasionall…
- An e-commerce company uses AWS Glue to run ETL jobs that transform clickstream data from Amazon S3. The job reads Parque…
- A data engineering team uses Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics for Apache Flink to process streaming data. They notice that…
- A company uses AWS Glue to process streaming data from Amazon Kinesis Data Streams. The job reads JSON records and write…
- A data engineer applies the above bucket policy to an S3 bucket containing sensitive data. The goal is to allow only enc…
- A company uses AWS Glue to catalog data in Amazon S3. The security team requires that all sensitive data be identified a…
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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.
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.