DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store (which is for static parameters) with AppConfig (which is for dynamic, frequently changing configurations with deployment controls), leading them to choose Parameter Store despite its throughput and validation limitations.
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 AppConfig
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 is highly durable object storage, excellent for storing static files, backups, or large data lakes. However, it lacks built-in mechanisms for configuration validation, phased deployments, or automatic rollback, which are crucial for managing frequently changing application configurations safely. While it can store configuration files, S3 is not designed for the operational aspects of dynamic configuration management.
- ✗
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why it's wrong here
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store provides secure, hierarchical storage for configuration data and secrets, supporting versioning and integration with other AWS services. It is suitable for static or infrequently changing parameters that require secure storage and easy retrieval. However, for scenarios demanding frequent updates, controlled rollouts, and automatic rollbacks based on application health, Parameter Store lacks the advanced deployment strategies and monitoring integrations offered by AppConfig.
- ✓
AWS AppConfig
Why this is correct
AWS AppConfig is purpose-built for managing application configurations, enabling developers to quickly and safely deploy configuration changes to applications. It supports controlled deployments, allowing changes to be rolled out gradually to a subset of targets, and includes built-in validation and automatic rollback capabilities to prevent outages. This makes it ideal for frequent updates to feature flags, throttling limits, or other dynamic application settings, ensuring application stability.
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Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Amazon DynamoDB is a fast, flexible NoSQL database service designed for applications requiring consistent, single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. While it could technically store configuration data, using a full-fledged database introduces unnecessary complexity, operational overhead, and cost for simple configuration management. It lacks the specific features for controlled deployment, validation, and rollback that are essential for safe application configuration updates, making it an inefficient choice for this particular use case.
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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.