Question 209 of 1,616
Development with AWS ServiceshardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Duplicate Lambda Invocations from S3

This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 building a serverless application that processes images uploaded to an S3 bucket. The bucket triggers a Lambda function that creates a thumbnail and stores it in another S3 bucket. The developer notices that the Lambda function is invoked multiple times for the same object, causing duplicate thumbnails. What is the MOST likely cause?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

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

The S3 bucket has multiple event notifications that trigger the same Lambda function.

Option D is correct because the most likely cause of duplicate invocations is that the S3 bucket has multiple event notifications configured for the same event type (e.g., s3:ObjectCreated:*) that all target the same Lambda function. Each notification creates a separate invocation, leading to multiple Lambda executions for the same object upload. This is a common misconfiguration when developers inadvertently add redundant event notifications.

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.

  • S3 event notifications are eventually consistent and may deliver duplicates.

    Why it's wrong here

    S3 notifications are generally reliable; duplicates are not a known consistency issue.

  • The Lambda function is configured with a DLQ that causes retries.

    Why it's wrong here

    A DLQ is for failed messages; successful invocations do not retry.

  • The Lambda function is idempotent and should handle duplicates.

    Why it's wrong here

    While idempotency is good practice, the question asks the cause, not the solution.

  • The S3 bucket has multiple event notifications that trigger the same Lambda function.

    Why this is correct

    Multiple notifications (e.g., for different event types) can cause the same function to be invoked for the same object.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates confuse eventual consistency (which applies to read-after-write for existing objects in S3) with duplicate event delivery, or they incorrectly assume that a DLQ causes retries, when in fact the DLQ only stores failed events after retries are exhausted.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

S3 event notifications are configured per bucket and can have multiple notification rules for the same event type (e.g., s3:ObjectCreated:*). Each rule triggers independently, so if two rules both match the same upload, the Lambda function is invoked twice. Under the hood, S3 publishes events to the Lambda service via the Invoke API, and each notification rule generates a separate event payload. In real-world scenarios, this often happens when developers copy notification configurations across environments or use AWS CloudFormation with overlapping event selectors.

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 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.

Quick reference

AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison

Storage ClassMin DurationRetrievalUse Case
S3 StandardNoneImmediateFrequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA30 daysImmediateInfrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA30 daysImmediateNon-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-TieringNoneImmediate–hoursUnknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant90 daysMillisecondsArchive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible90 daysMinutes–hoursArchive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive180 daysHoursLong-term compliance archive

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.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DVA-C02 question test?

Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The S3 bucket has multiple event notifications that trigger the same Lambda function. — Option D is correct because the most likely cause of duplicate invocations is that the S3 bucket has multiple event notifications configured for the same event type (e.g., s3:ObjectCreated:*) that all target the same Lambda function. Each notification creates a separate invocation, leading to multiple Lambda executions for the same object upload. This is a common misconfiguration when developers inadvertently add redundant event notifications.

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.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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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.