- A
Decrease the batch size of the Kinesis event source mapping.
Why wrong: Reducing batch size may help but does not address the throttling issue as effectively as retries.
- B
Implement retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function.
Exponential backoff is the standard way to handle ProvisionedThroughputExceededException.
- C
Increase the number of shards in the Kinesis stream.
Why wrong: Shard count affects Kinesis throughput, not DynamoDB.
- D
Increase the memory allocated to the Lambda function.
Why wrong: Memory allocation does not affect DynamoDB write capacity.
Question 416 of 1,616
Fix DynamoDB Throttling in Lambda with Exponential Backoff
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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.
A developer is using AWS Lambda to process events from an Amazon Kinesis stream. The function has been failing with 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' errors when writing to a DynamoDB table. What should the developer do to resolve this issue?
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
✓
Implement retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function.
The 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' error indicates that the Lambda function is exceeding the write capacity units (WCUs) provisioned for the DynamoDB table. Implementing retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function allows it to handle throttling gracefully by pausing and retrying failed writes, which is the standard AWS-recommended pattern for managing DynamoDB throttling.
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.
- ✗
Decrease the batch size of the Kinesis event source mapping.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing batch size may help but does not address the throttling issue as effectively as retries.
- ✓
Implement retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function.
Why this is correct
Exponential backoff is the standard way to handle ProvisionedThroughputExceededException.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the number of shards in the Kinesis stream.
Why it's wrong here
Shard count affects Kinesis throughput, not DynamoDB.
- ✗
Increase the memory allocated to the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Memory allocation does not affect DynamoDB write capacity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse scaling the source (Kinesis shards) or the compute (Lambda memory) with managing the downstream resource's capacity limits, leading them to choose options that increase parallelism rather than implementing proper retry and backoff logic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Exponential backoff is a standard error-handling strategy where the Lambda function catches the ProvisionedThroughputExceededException, waits for an increasing amount of time (e.g., 50ms, 100ms, 200ms) before retrying, and eventually gives up after a maximum number of retries. This aligns with AWS SDK's built-in retry mechanism, but when using the DynamoDB client directly, developers must implement it manually or use the AWS SDK's automatic retry configuration. In real-world scenarios, combining exponential backoff with a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for failed records ensures no data loss while respecting DynamoDB's capacity limits.
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.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Implement retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function. — The 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' error indicates that the Lambda function is exceeding the write capacity units (WCUs) provisioned for the DynamoDB table. Implementing retry logic with exponential backoff in the Lambda function allows it to handle throttling gracefully by pausing and retrying failed writes, which is the standard AWS-recommended pattern for managing DynamoDB throttling.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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