The answer is to add the iam:PassRole permission for the IAM role used by the Glue job. When a Lambda function triggers an AWS Glue job, it must pass the execution role that Glue will assume during the run; without the iam:PassRole permission on that specific role ARN, the StartJobRun API call silently fails, leaving the job in a "starting" state or not starting at all. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of IAM role delegation and the subtle difference between invoking a service and granting it permission to assume a role—a common trap is assuming glue:StartJobRun alone is sufficient. Remember the memory tip: "To pass the role, you need PassRole."
DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. 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 is troubleshooting an AWS Glue ETL job that fails intermittently. The job is triggered by an AWS Lambda function that uses the IAM policy shown. The Lambda function invokes the Glue job, but sometimes the job does not start. Which action should the engineer take to ensure the job starts reliably?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add the iam:PassRole permission for the IAM role used by the Glue job.
Option C is correct because the policy only allows glue:StartJobRun on any resource (*), but does not allow glue:GetJobRun or glue:GetJob to check job status, which may be needed by the Lambda function to confirm job start. However, the immediate issue is that the policy might be missing glue:StartJobRun on the specific job ARN, but since it's on *, it's allowed. The failure may be due to missing permissions to describe the job or pass role. Option C addresses the need to pass the IAM role to Glue. Option A is wrong because S3 permissions are sufficient. Option B is wrong because batching is not the issue. Option D is wrong because the policy already allows StartJobRun on *.
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.
✗
Replace the resource "*" in the Glue action with the specific Glue job ARN.
Why it's wrong here
The wildcard already allows starting any job; the issue is not resource restriction.
✗
Add s3:GetObject and s3:PutObject permissions for the Glue job's output bucket.
Why it's wrong here
The Lambda function only triggers the job; it does not directly access S3.
✗
Modify the Lambda function to batch multiple job start requests.
Why it's wrong here
Intermittent failures are not due to batching; rate limiting is unlikely.
✓
Add the iam:PassRole permission for the IAM role used by the Glue job.
Why this is correct
The Lambda function needs iam:PassRole to pass the Glue job role; missing this causes intermittent failures.
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 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: Add the iam:PassRole permission for the IAM role used by the Glue job. — Option C is correct because the policy only allows glue:StartJobRun on any resource (*), but does not allow glue:GetJobRun or glue:GetJob to check job status, which may be needed by the Lambda function to confirm job start. However, the immediate issue is that the policy might be missing glue:StartJobRun on the specific job ARN, but since it's on *, it's allowed. The failure may be due to missing permissions to describe the job or pass role. Option C addresses the need to pass the IAM role to Glue. Option A is wrong because S3 permissions are sufficient. Option B is wrong because batching is not the issue. Option D is wrong because the policy already allows StartJobRun on *.
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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