This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. 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 developer is deploying a serverless application using the AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM). The developer runs 'sam deploy' and receives an error: 'Error: Failed to create changeset for the stack.' What is a common cause of this error?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The SAM template contains a syntax error.
Option C is correct because the SAM template must be valid JSON or YAML; malformed syntax causes the changeset creation to fail. Options A, B, and D are incorrect: missing S3 bucket causes a different error, insufficient IAM permissions cause an authorization error, and CodeDeploy is not involved in SAM deployments.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 SAM template contains a syntax error.
Why this is correct
A malformed template prevents CloudFormation from creating a changeset, resulting in this error.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
The S3 bucket specified for artifacts does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
A missing S3 bucket causes an upload error, not a changeset creation failure.
✗
The IAM user does not have permission to create CloudFormation stacks.
Why it's wrong here
Insufficient permissions cause an 'AccessDeniedException' before changeset creation.
✗
AWS CodeDeploy is not configured for the application.
Why it's wrong here
CodeDeploy is not required for SAM deployments; its absence does not cause this error.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DVA-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SAM template contains a syntax error. — Option C is correct because the SAM template must be valid JSON or YAML; malformed syntax causes the changeset creation to fail. Options A, B, and D are incorrect: missing S3 bucket causes a different error, insufficient IAM permissions cause an authorization error, and CodeDeploy is not involved in SAM deployments.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related DVA-C02 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Question Discussion
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