DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
A developer needs to store application configuration data (key-value pairs) that can be accessed by multiple microservices running on EC2 instances. The configuration data changes infrequently but must be retrievable with low latency. Which AWS service should the developer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store with AWS AppConfig or Secrets Manager. While AppConfig is used for dynamic configuration deployment (with features like gradual rollouts and validators), Parameter Store is the correct and standard service for simply storing and retrieving static or infrequently changing key-value configuration data.
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
✓
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store is designed specifically to store configuration data (such as database strings, license codes, or general key-value pairs) and secrets. It provides a centralized, secure, and hierarchical store that can be easily accessed by EC2 instances and microservices with low latency. Standard parameters are free of charge, making it the ideal choice for infrequently changing configuration data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why this is correct
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store is a secure and scalable storage for configuration data and secrets. While it offers versioning and integration with other AWS services, it primarily functions as a parameter store. It lacks advanced features specifically designed for application configuration management, such as schema validation, phased deployments (e.g., canary or linear rollouts), or automatic rollback capabilities based on application health, which are crucial for safely deploying configuration changes at scale.
- ✗
AWS AppConfig
Why it's wrong here
AWS AppConfig is purpose-built for managing and deploying application configurations in a controlled and safe manner. It enables developers to define configuration profiles, validate configurations against predefined schemas (e.g., JSON Schema), and implement controlled deployments with features like staggered rollouts, alarms, and automatic rollbacks. This ensures configuration changes are applied reliably and without impacting application availability, making it the ideal choice for dynamic configuration management with high reliability.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 is a highly durable and scalable object storage service, typically used for static content, backups, or large files. While configuration files can be stored in S3, retrieving them would typically involve higher latency compared to dedicated configuration services, and managing updates, versioning, and deployment strategies (like gradual rollouts or validation) would require significant custom application logic. It lacks built-in features for configuration validation, dynamic updates, or controlled deployment, making it less suitable for active application configuration management.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service designed for high-performance, low-latency data access at any scale. While it could technically store configuration data as key-value pairs, it is an overkill for simple application configuration management. Using DynamoDB for this purpose introduces unnecessary complexity in data modeling and access patterns, and its cost model is optimized for transactional workloads rather than infrequent configuration reads, potentially leading to higher operational costs and management overhead without providing specific configuration management benefits.
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on DVA-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A developer needs to store application configuration data that can be read by multiple EC2 instances. The data is less than 1 KB and changes frequently. Which AWS service is BEST suited for this?
easy- A.Amazon S3
- B.AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
- ✓ C.AWS AppConfig
- D.Amazon DynamoDB
Why C: AWS AppConfig is the best choice because it is designed for dynamic, frequent configuration changes that need to be deployed to multiple EC2 instances without redeploying code or restarting applications. It supports hosted configuration data (up to 1 MB) and provides controlled rollouts, validation, and monitoring, making it ideal for sub-1 KB data that changes frequently.
Variation 2. Which TWO AWS services can be used to store and retrieve application configuration data? (Choose two.)
easy- ✓ A.AWS AppConfig
- ✓ B.AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
- C.AWS Secrets Manager
- D.Amazon S3
- E.AWS CloudFormation
Why A: AWS AppConfig is a feature of AWS Systems Manager that allows you to create, manage, and deploy application configuration data separately from your code. It supports feature flags, tuning parameters, and other dynamic configuration, and can validate configuration changes before deployment to reduce risk. This makes it a correct choice for storing and retrieving application configuration data.
Variation 3. Which TWO AWS services can be used to store and retrieve application configuration data in a serverless application? (Choose two.)
medium- A.Amazon S3
- B.AWS CloudFormation
- ✓ C.AWS AppConfig
- D.AWS Secrets Manager
- ✓ E.Amazon DynamoDB
Why C: AWS AppConfig (C) is correct because it is a purpose-built feature of AWS Systems Manager for storing, validating, and deploying application configuration data and feature flags to serverless workloads, with built-in versioning, gradual rollouts, and automatic rollback. Amazon DynamoDB (E) is correct because it is a fully managed serverless key-value store that applications can read and write at runtime to persist and retrieve configuration items without provisioning servers. Amazon S3 (A) is not the intended answer here since it is object storage rather than a configuration-management service, even though config files can technically be placed in a bucket. AWS CloudFormation (B) is an infrastructure-as-code provisioning service, not a runtime configuration store. AWS Secrets Manager (D) is designed for storing and rotating secrets such as credentials and API keys, not general application configuration data.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.