The answer is a new dependency in the deployment package that increased the function’s initialization time beyond the duration of the function’s reserved concurrency warm start window. When you add larger libraries or more dependencies to a Lambda deployment package, the cold start phase—where Lambda loads your code and runs initialization code outside the handler—takes longer. If the function’s reserved concurrency is low, fewer instances stay warm, meaning more invocations trigger a full cold start, and the 5-second timeout you see is the initialization time eating into the 15-second total timeout before the handler even runs. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Lambda execution environments and cold starts versus warm starts; a common trap is blaming DynamoDB autoscaling or S3 latency when the real culprit is initialization bloat. Memory tip: “Cold start, big heart—new deps tear warm starts apart.”
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. 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 deploys a Lambda function that transforms incoming JSON payloads and writes results to DynamoDB. After a recent code update, the function frequently times out with 5-second durations. The function has a 15-second timeout and 512 MB memory. CloudWatch Logs show no errors. The DynamoDB table has autoscaling enabled. What is the MOST likely cause of the increased duration?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
DynamoDB write capacity is insufficient, causing throttling and retries.
Why wrong: Autoscaling should handle capacity; throttling would appear in logs.
B
The function is reading the input payload from S3 instead of API Gateway, causing network latency.
Why wrong: Lambda reads from S3 normally; not a typical timeout cause.
C
A new dependency in the deployment package increased the function's initialization time beyond the duration of the function's reserved concurrency warm start window.
This is a common cause of timeout after adding dependencies.
D
The function code throws an unhandled exception that is not logged.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs would capture exceptions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A new dependency in the deployment package increased the function's initialization time beyond the duration of the function's reserved concurrency warm start window.
Option A is correct because a new dependency introduced in the update may increase initialization time, leading to timeouts if the function is not provisioned with enough concurrency or if the new library is large. Option B is wrong because Lambda can read from S3 without issue. Option C is wrong because DynamoDB autoscaling handles capacity. Option D is wrong because CloudWatch Logs would show errors if code threw exceptions.
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.
✗
DynamoDB write capacity is insufficient, causing throttling and retries.
Why it's wrong here
Autoscaling should handle capacity; throttling would appear in logs.
✗
The function is reading the input payload from S3 instead of API Gateway, causing network latency.
Why it's wrong here
Lambda reads from S3 normally; not a typical timeout cause.
✓
A new dependency in the deployment package increased the function's initialization time beyond the duration of the function's reserved concurrency warm start window.
Why this is correct
This is a common cause of timeout after adding dependencies.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The function code throws an unhandled exception that is not logged.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs would capture exceptions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A new dependency in the deployment package increased the function's initialization time beyond the duration of the function's reserved concurrency warm start window. — Option A is correct because a new dependency introduced in the update may increase initialization time, leading to timeouts if the function is not provisioned with enough concurrency or if the new library is large. Option B is wrong because Lambda can read from S3 without issue. Option C is wrong because DynamoDB autoscaling handles capacity. Option D is wrong because CloudWatch Logs would show errors if code threw exceptions.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DVA-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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