- A
Configure a dead-letter queue on the Lambda function with a redrive policy that allows up to 3 retries and a 5-minute delay.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Lambda does not have a redrive policy for its DLQ. The DLQ is used to capture failed messages after retries are exhausted, but retries and delays are handled by SQS.
- B
Use AWS Step Functions to poll the SQS queue and implement a retry loop with exponential backoff.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While Step Functions can orchestrate retries, it adds complexity and is not necessary for simple retry logic. SQS visibility timeout and redrive policy provide a simpler solution.
- C
Set the Lambda function's reserved concurrency to 1 and enable the 'Retry attempts' option to 3 in the function configuration.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Reserved concurrency and a 'Retry attempts' option in Lambda configuration do not apply to SQS triggers. Retries are controlled by SQS.
- D
Configure the SQS queue with a delivery delay of 5 minutes and a redrive policy to move messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives.
Correct. Configuring the SQS queue with a redrive policy (maxReceiveCount = 3) moves messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives. The delay between retries is achieved by setting the visibility timeout to 5 minutes. The phrase 'delivery delay' in the option is not exactly correct, but it is the best choice.
Lambda SQS Retry Configuration
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. A key principle to apply: sQS visibility timeout. 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 is using AWS Lambda to process messages from an Amazon SQS queue. The Lambda function sometimes fails to process a message due to a transient error. The company wants to automatically retry failed messages up to 3 times, with a 5-minute delay between retries. What should the company configure?
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 the SQS queue with a delivery delay of 5 minutes and a redrive policy to move messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives.
To achieve retries with a delay between retries when Lambda is triggered by SQS, configure the SQS queue's redrive policy with maxReceiveCount = 3 (so after 3 receives it goes to DLQ) and set the visibility timeout to 5 minutes. The visibility timeout determines how long a message is invisible after being received, effectively creating the delay between retries. Option D correctly identifies configuring the SQS queue with a redrive policy for 3 receives and a delivery delay, but note that the correct mechanism for retry delay is the visibility timeout, not delivery delay. However, among the options, D is the only one that mentions SQS queue configuration with a redrive policy and a delay. Option A is incorrect because Lambda functions do not have a redrive policy; retries are managed by SQS. Option B suggests Step Functions, which is unnecessary overhead. Option C's reserved concurrency and 'Retry attempts' option are not valid for SQS-triggered Lambda.
Key principle: SQS visibility timeout
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure a dead-letter queue on the Lambda function with a redrive policy that allows up to 3 retries and a 5-minute delay.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Lambda does not have a redrive policy for its DLQ. The DLQ is used to capture failed messages after retries are exhausted, but retries and delays are handled by SQS.
- ✗
Use AWS Step Functions to poll the SQS queue and implement a retry loop with exponential backoff.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While Step Functions can orchestrate retries, it adds complexity and is not necessary for simple retry logic. SQS visibility timeout and redrive policy provide a simpler solution.
- ✗
Set the Lambda function's reserved concurrency to 1 and enable the 'Retry attempts' option to 3 in the function configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Reserved concurrency and a 'Retry attempts' option in Lambda configuration do not apply to SQS triggers. Retries are controlled by SQS.
- ✓
Configure the SQS queue with a delivery delay of 5 minutes and a redrive policy to move messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives.
Why this is correct
Correct. Configuring the SQS queue with a redrive policy (maxReceiveCount = 3) moves messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives. The delay between retries is achieved by setting the visibility timeout to 5 minutes. The phrase 'delivery delay' in the option is not exactly correct, but it is the best choice.
Related concept
SQS visibility timeout
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates may think that the Lambda function's DLQ configuration controls retries, but in reality, for SQS-triggered Lambda, retries are managed by SQS's visibility timeout and redrive policy. The visibility timeout acts as the delay between retries.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When Lambda is configured with an SQS trigger, it uses the queue's visibility timeout to control retries: if the function fails, the message becomes visible again after the visibility timeout expires, allowing Lambda to retry. The redrive policy on the Lambda function's DLQ specifies the maximum number of retries (e.g., 3) before the message is sent to the DLQ, while the 5-minute delay is achieved by setting the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 300 seconds. Under the hood, Lambda's event source mapping manages the polling and visibility timeout, and the DLQ is a separate SQS queue that stores failed messages for later analysis.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- SQS visibility timeout
- SQS redrive policy
- Lambda dead-letter queue
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
SQS visibility timeout
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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
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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 — SQS visibility timeout.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the SQS queue with a delivery delay of 5 minutes and a redrive policy to move messages to a dead-letter queue after 3 receives. — To achieve retries with a delay between retries when Lambda is triggered by SQS, configure the SQS queue's redrive policy with maxReceiveCount = 3 (so after 3 receives it goes to DLQ) and set the visibility timeout to 5 minutes. The visibility timeout determines how long a message is invisible after being received, effectively creating the delay between retries. Option D correctly identifies configuring the SQS queue with a redrive policy for 3 receives and a delivery delay, but note that the correct mechanism for retry delay is the visibility timeout, not delivery delay. However, among the options, D is the only one that mentions SQS queue configuration with a redrive policy and a delay. Option A is incorrect because Lambda functions do not have a redrive policy; retries are managed by SQS. Option B suggests Step Functions, which is unnecessary overhead. Option C's reserved concurrency and 'Retry attempts' option are not valid for SQS-triggered Lambda.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review sQS visibility timeout, then practise related DVA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
SQS visibility timeout
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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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