- A
Store session state in an Amazon ElastiCache cluster
ElastiCache provides a managed in-memory cache that is shared across instances. It is ideal for session state because it is fast and can replicate data for high availability.
- B
Store session state in the /tmp directory of each EC2 instance
Why wrong: The /tmp directory is local to each instance and is lost when the instance is terminated. It cannot be shared across instances, so session will not persist if a user hits a different instance.
- C
Use an Amazon SQS queue to persist session data
Why wrong: SQS is a message queuing service, not designed for low-latency session storage. Retrieving and updating session data on every request via SQS would be inefficient and incorrectly modeled.
- D
Store session state in an Amazon S3 bucket
Why wrong: S3 can store session data, but it introduces higher latency compared to in-memory stores like ElastiCache. Additionally, frequent updates might exceed S3 request limits and incur costs.
DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
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 running a web application on multiple Amazon EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). The application needs to store user session state that must be available across all instances. The session data is small and temporary but must survive individual instance failures. Which AWS service should the developer use to store this session state?
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
Store session state in an Amazon ElastiCache cluster
Amazon ElastiCache (e.g., using Redis or Memcached) provides a centralized, in-memory data store that is external to the EC2 instances. This allows all instances behind the ALB to read and write the same session state, ensuring consistency across the fleet. Because the data is stored in a managed cluster, it survives individual instance failures and is ideal for small, temporary session data that requires low-latency access.
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.
- ✓
Store session state in an Amazon ElastiCache cluster
Why this is correct
ElastiCache provides a managed in-memory cache that is shared across instances. It is ideal for session state because it is fast and can replicate data for high availability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Store session state in the /tmp directory of each EC2 instance
Why it's wrong here
The /tmp directory is local to each instance and is lost when the instance is terminated. It cannot be shared across instances, so session will not persist if a user hits a different instance.
- ✗
Use an Amazon SQS queue to persist session data
Why it's wrong here
SQS is a message queuing service, not designed for low-latency session storage. Retrieving and updating session data on every request via SQS would be inefficient and incorrectly modeled.
- ✗
Store session state in an Amazon S3 bucket
Why it's wrong here
S3 can store session data, but it introduces higher latency compared to in-memory stores like ElastiCache. Additionally, frequent updates might exceed S3 request limits and incur costs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'survive instance failures' with 'persistent storage' and choose S3 or SQS, overlooking that session state requires low-latency, in-memory access with automatic expiry, which only ElastiCache provides among the options.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ElastiCache for Redis supports atomic operations like SETEX (set with expiry) and TTL (time-to-live), which are perfect for session state that must auto-expire after inactivity. Under the hood, Redis stores data in memory with optional persistence to disk, providing sub-millisecond latency. In a real-world scenario, using ElastiCache ensures that if an EC2 instance fails, the ALB routes the next request to a healthy instance, which can retrieve the session from the cache without any data loss.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Store session state in an Amazon ElastiCache cluster — Amazon ElastiCache (e.g., using Redis or Memcached) provides a centralized, in-memory data store that is external to the EC2 instances. This allows all instances behind the ALB to read and write the same session state, ensuring consistency across the fleet. Because the data is stored in a managed cluster, it survives individual instance failures and is ideal for small, temporary session data that requires low-latency access.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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