- A
Increase the Lambda function timeout in the function configuration.
Why wrong: Incorrect: This only allows more time, but doesn't reduce latency.
- B
Switch from DynamoDB to Amazon RDS for faster queries.
Why wrong: Incorrect: The issue is likely cold start, not database.
- C
Attach an IAM role to the Lambda function to speed up DynamoDB access.
Why wrong: Incorrect: IAM role does not affect performance.
- D
Enable provisioned concurrency on the Lambda function to reduce cold starts.
Correct: Provisioned concurrency keeps instances warm, reducing latency.
Question 533 of 1,616
Lambda Provisioned Concurrency for Cold Start Reduction
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 with Amazon API Gateway to build a REST API. The Lambda function is written in Node.js and uses the 'aws-sdk' to interact with DynamoDB. When the function is invoked, it consistently takes more than 10 seconds to complete, causing API Gateway to timeout (default timeout is 29 seconds). The developer wants to reduce latency. What should the developer do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
✓
Enable provisioned concurrency on the Lambda function to reduce cold starts.
The primary issue causing the Lambda function to take more than 10 seconds is likely cold starts, especially if the function is invoked infrequently. Enabling provisioned concurrency pre-warms a specified number of execution environments, eliminating cold start latency for those invocations. This directly reduces the initial execution time, which can bring the total duration below API Gateway's 29-second timeout without requiring other architectural changes.
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 Lambda function timeout in the function configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This only allows more time, but doesn't reduce latency.
- ✗
Switch from DynamoDB to Amazon RDS for faster queries.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The issue is likely cold start, not database.
- ✗
Attach an IAM role to the Lambda function to speed up DynamoDB access.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: IAM role does not affect performance.
- ✓
Enable provisioned concurrency on the Lambda function to reduce cold starts.
Why this is correct
Correct: Provisioned concurrency keeps instances warm, reducing latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" 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 often confuse timeout configuration with latency reduction, assuming that increasing the timeout will fix slow responses, when in fact the issue is initialization overhead rather than execution duration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cold starts occur when Lambda initializes a new execution environment, which includes loading the runtime, the function code, and any dependencies like the 'aws-sdk'. Provisioned concurrency keeps a set number of environments initialized and ready to respond immediately, effectively eliminating cold start latency for those concurrent invocations. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for APIs with variable traffic patterns where even a single cold start can push response times beyond acceptable thresholds.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Development with AWS Services — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Development with AWS Services practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DVA-C02 questions
1,616 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DVA-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DVA-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Development with AWS Services practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Development with AWS Services.
Security practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Security.
Deployment practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Deployment.
Troubleshooting and Optimization practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to Troubleshooting and Optimization.
DVA-C02 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 fundamentals.
DVA-C02 scenario practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 scenario.
DVA-C02 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DVA-C02 questions linked to DVA-C02 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DVA-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Enable provisioned concurrency on the Lambda function to reduce cold starts. — The primary issue causing the Lambda function to take more than 10 seconds is likely cold starts, especially if the function is invoked infrequently. Enabling provisioned concurrency pre-warms a specified number of execution environments, eliminating cold start latency for those invocations. This directly reduces the initial execution time, which can bring the total duration below API Gateway's 29-second timeout without requiring other architectural changes.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More DVA-C02 practice questions
- A developer is troubleshooting an AWS Lambda function that is triggered by an S3 event. The function occasionally fails…
- A developer needs to call AWS APIs from application code running on EC2. Which credential source should the AWS SDK use…
- A developer needs to allow an IAM user in a different AWS account to assume a role in the developer's account. The role…
- A developer needs to grant an IAM role in Account B read-only access to objects in an S3 bucket in Account A. The bucket…
- An API Gateway HTTP API should allow access only to users authenticated by an external OIDC provider. Which authorizer t…
- A developer needs to allow an EC2 instance to read from a DynamoDB table. Which is the best practice to grant permission…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.