- A
Use Amazon SQS to buffer write requests to DynamoDB.
Why wrong: SQS is not needed for retry logic.
- B
Configure a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function to capture failed events.
DLQ stores events that failed after retries.
- C
Increase the DynamoDB table's provisioned write capacity.
Why wrong: This reduces throttling but does not implement retry.
- D
Use the AWS SDK's built-in retry behavior which includes exponential backoff.
SDK retries automatically with backoff.
- E
Implement custom retry logic in the Lambda function with exponential backoff.
Custom logic can be added for additional control.
Question 268 of 1,616
Exponential Backoff for DynamoDB Throttling in Lambda | AWS Developer Associate Explained
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 using AWS Lambda and Amazon DynamoDB. The application experiences occasional throttling on DynamoDB writes. The developer wants to implement a retry mechanism with exponential backoff. Which THREE steps should the developer take?
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
✓
Configure a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function to capture failed events.
Option B is correct because configuring a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function allows failed events (e.g., DynamoDB write throttling after retries) to be captured for later analysis or reprocessing. This ensures that events that exhaust the retry budget are not lost and can be investigated or replayed, which is a standard pattern for handling transient failures in serverless architectures.
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.
- ✗
Use Amazon SQS to buffer write requests to DynamoDB.
Why it's wrong here
SQS is not needed for retry logic.
- ✓
Configure a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function to capture failed events.
Why this is correct
DLQ stores events that failed after retries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the DynamoDB table's provisioned write capacity.
Why it's wrong here
This reduces throttling but does not implement retry.
- ✓
Use the AWS SDK's built-in retry behavior which includes exponential backoff.
Why this is correct
SDK retries automatically with backoff.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Implement custom retry logic in the Lambda function with exponential backoff.
Why this is correct
Custom logic can be added for additional control.
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 may think only one retry approach is correct, but the exam expects recognition that both the SDK's built-in retry and custom retry logic are valid implementations of exponential backoff, and that a DLQ is a complementary best practice for handling persistent failures.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The AWS SDK's built-in retry behavior (Option D) uses an exponential backoff algorithm with jitter by default, automatically retrying throttled DynamoDB requests (e.g., ProvisionedThroughputExceededException) up to a configurable maximum number of times. Custom retry logic (Option E) can be implemented in the Lambda function using a loop with exponential backoff (e.g., sleep times doubling from 50ms to a max of 20 seconds) to handle cases where the SDK's retry is disabled or needs customization. Both approaches are valid and commonly used together with a DLQ to catch final failures.
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.
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: Configure a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function to capture failed events. — Option B is correct because configuring a dead-letter queue (DLQ) for the Lambda function allows failed events (e.g., DynamoDB write throttling after retries) to be captured for later analysis or reprocessing. This ensures that events that exhaust the retry budget are not lost and can be investigated or replayed, which is a standard pattern for handling transient failures in serverless architectures.
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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