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 application consists of an API Gateway, a Lambda function, and a DynamoDB table. The developer wants to enable canary deployments for the Lambda function. What should the developer do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add the AutoPublishAlias and DeploymentPreference properties to the Lambda function in the SAM template.
Option C is correct because the AWS SAM template supports canary deployments for Lambda functions by adding the `AutoPublishAlias` property (which automatically creates and publishes a new version to a Lambda alias) and the `DeploymentPreference` property (which defines the traffic-shifting strategy, such as `Canary10Percent5Minutes`). This enables CodeDeploy to gradually shift traffic from the current version to the new version without manual intervention.
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.
✗
Configure a CodeDeploy deployment group in the SAM template.
Why it's wrong here
CodeDeploy is integrated but the configuration is done via SAM properties.
✗
Create a Lambda alias and configure traffic shifting manually.
Why it's wrong here
Manual configuration is not necessary; SAM automates it.
✓
Add the AutoPublishAlias and DeploymentPreference properties to the Lambda function in the SAM template.
Why this is correct
These properties enable canary deployments in SAM.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS CodePipeline to orchestrate the canary deployment.
Why it's wrong here
CodePipeline is not required for SAM canary deployments.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think they need to manually create a Lambda alias or use CodePipeline for canary deployments, when in fact SAM's `AutoPublishAlias` and `DeploymentPreference` properties automate the entire canary deployment workflow via CodeDeploy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SAM generates an AWS CodeDeploy application and deployment group, and uses the Lambda alias to shift traffic based on the `DeploymentPreference` type (e.g., `Canary10Percent5Minutes` shifts 10% of traffic to the new version for 5 minutes, then 100%). A subtle behavior is that the `AutoPublishAlias` property must point to an existing alias (e.g., `Live`), and the `DeploymentPreference` property must be nested under the `AutoPublishAlias` to work correctly. In a real-world scenario, this is critical for minimizing risk when deploying new Lambda code to production, as it allows monitoring of errors or latency before full rollout.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add the AutoPublishAlias and DeploymentPreference properties to the Lambda function in the SAM template. — Option C is correct because the AWS SAM template supports canary deployments for Lambda functions by adding the `AutoPublishAlias` property (which automatically creates and publishes a new version to a Lambda alias) and the `DeploymentPreference` property (which defines the traffic-shifting strategy, such as `Canary10Percent5Minutes`). This enables CodeDeploy to gradually shift traffic from the current version to the new version without manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 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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Question Discussion
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