The answer is insufficient shard count causing write throttling. A single shard in a Kinesis data stream caps write throughput at 1 MB per second or 1,000 records per second; when a producer exceeds either limit, records are throttled and never reach the consumer. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of shard-based capacity planning—a common trap is blaming the consumer or retention settings when the real issue is upstream throttling from low shard count. The exam often presents a stream description showing one shard, an ACTIVE status, and a 24-hour retention period, all of which are red herrings. Remember the shard math: each shard gives 1 MB/s write and 2 MB/s read, so if your producer bursts past that, you need more shards. Memory tip: “One shard, one MB—throttle city.”
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.
Network Topology
The exhibit shows the output of describing an Amazon Kinesis Data Stream. A producer is sending records but the consumer is not receiving all records. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The stream has only one shard, causing write throttling
The stream has only one shard, which provides a maximum throughput of 1 MB/s or 1000 records/s for writes. If the producer exceeds this, records will be throttled. The retention period is 24 hours, which is fine. The stream status is ACTIVE. There is no indication of a faulty shard. The consumer might be slow, but the question asks for cause of not receiving all records; throttling due to insufficient shards is a common issue.
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 stream has only one shard, causing write throttling
Why this is correct
With one shard, write throughput is limited; exceeding it causes throttling and missed records.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The stream is in ACTIVE status, which prevents reading
Why it's wrong here
ACTIVE means the stream is operational.
✗
The retention period is too short
Why it's wrong here
24 hours is sufficient for most use cases; records are not being lost due to retention.
✗
The hash key range is too wide
Why it's wrong here
The hash key range covers all possible keys; it is not a problem.
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 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: The stream has only one shard, causing write throttling — The stream has only one shard, which provides a maximum throughput of 1 MB/s or 1000 records/s for writes. If the producer exceeds this, records will be throttled. The retention period is 24 hours, which is fine. The stream status is ACTIVE. There is no indication of a faulty shard. The consumer might be slow, but the question asks for cause of not receiving all records; throttling due to insufficient shards is a common issue.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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