Quick Answer
The answer is to configure a maxReceiveCount on the SQS queue and route messages to a dead-letter queue (DLQ). This setting directly addresses the poison message problem by limiting how many times a message can be received before it is automatically moved to the DLQ, preventing your Lambda function from endlessly reprocessing the same failing record. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of SQS message lifecycle management and error handling patterns, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly focus on Lambda retries rather than queue-level controls. A common trap is forgetting that without a DLQ, the message remains in the queue and will be redelivered indefinitely, even if the Lambda function itself has no retry policy. For memory, think of the DLQ as a "quarantine zone" for poison messages, triggered by the maxReceiveCount acting as a "three strikes" rule—once the count is exceeded, the message is exiled for analysis.
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. 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.
An SQS-triggered Lambda repeatedly processes the same poison message. Which two settings help contain the issue?
Configure maxReceiveCount and a dead-letter queue
Correct for the stated requirement.
Disable CloudWatch Logs
Why wrong: This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Use partial batch response or failure reporting where applicable
Correct for the stated requirement.
Set message retention to zero
Why wrong: This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Configure maxReceiveCount and a dead-letter queue
Option A is correct because setting a maxReceiveCount on the SQS queue limits how many times a message can be received before it is automatically moved to a dead-letter queue (DLQ). This prevents the Lambda function from repeatedly processing the same poison message, as the message is redirected to the DLQ after exceeding the threshold, allowing you to isolate and analyze the failure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Configure maxReceiveCount and a dead-letter queue
Why this is correct
Correct for the stated requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Disable CloudWatch Logs
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Use partial batch response or failure reporting where applicable
Why this is correct
Correct for the stated requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Set message retention to zero
Why it's wrong here
This does not meet the stated requirement as directly as the correct option.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse message retention period (how long a message stays in the queue) with receive count limits, and they may overlook that disabling CloudWatch Logs only hides the problem rather than solving it.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, SQS uses a visibility timeout to control message redelivery; when a Lambda function fails to process a message (e.g., throws an exception), the message becomes visible again after the visibility timeout expires. The maxReceiveCount setting works with the redrive policy to move messages to a DLQ after the specified number of receives, effectively breaking the infinite retry loop. In real-world scenarios, poison messages often result from malformed payloads or transient downstream failures, and using a DLQ with CloudWatch alarms on the DLQ depth enables automated incident response.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Configure maxReceiveCount and a dead-letter queue — Option A is correct because setting a maxReceiveCount on the SQS queue limits how many times a message can be received before it is automatically moved to a dead-letter queue (DLQ). This prevents the Lambda function from repeatedly processing the same poison message, as the message is redirected to the DLQ after exceeding the threshold, allowing you to isolate and analyze the failure.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
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