- A
Increase the memory allocation of the Lambda function.
More memory reduces cold start time.
- B
Place the Lambda function in a VPC to improve network latency.
Why wrong: VPC can increase cold start latency.
- C
Enable Lambda@Edge to cache responses.
Why wrong: Lambda@Edge is for CloudFront, not cold start reduction.
- D
Increase the function timeout to 15 minutes.
Why wrong: Timeout does not affect cold start.
Question 164 of 1,616
Reducing Lambda Cold Start Latency with Higher Memory Allocation
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 company uses Amazon API Gateway to expose a REST API backed by AWS Lambda. The API is experiencing high latency. The developer suspects cold starts are contributing to the latency. Which action would be MOST effective in reducing cold start latency?
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
✓
Increase the memory allocation of the Lambda function.
Increasing the memory allocation of a Lambda function directly correlates to allocating more CPU power, which reduces the initialization time during a cold start. AWS Lambda provisions CPU proportionally to the configured memory, so a higher memory setting speeds up the runtime environment setup and code loading, thereby lowering cold start latency.
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.
- ✓
Increase the memory allocation of the Lambda function.
Why this is correct
More memory reduces cold start time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Place the Lambda function in a VPC to improve network latency.
Why it's wrong here
VPC can increase cold start latency.
- ✗
Enable Lambda@Edge to cache responses.
Why it's wrong here
Lambda@Edge is for CloudFront, not cold start reduction.
- ✗
Increase the function timeout to 15 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout does not affect cold start.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse increasing timeout with improving performance, but timeout only affects how long a function can run, not how quickly it starts.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, AWS Lambda cold starts involve provisioning a new execution environment, downloading the code, and initializing the runtime. Memory increases from 128 MB to 10,240 MB, with CPU power scaling linearly, so a function with 1,024 MB gets roughly 8x more CPU than one with 128 MB, significantly reducing the time for tasks like loading dependencies or establishing database connections. In real-world scenarios, this is especially critical for Java or .NET functions where JIT compilation or assembly loading can dominate cold start time.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: Increase the memory allocation of the Lambda function. — Increasing the memory allocation of a Lambda function directly correlates to allocating more CPU power, which reduces the initialization time during a cold start. AWS Lambda provisions CPU proportionally to the configured memory, so a higher memory setting speeds up the runtime environment setup and code loading, thereby lowering cold start latency.
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
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