The correct answer is to enable provisioned concurrency on the function. Provisioned concurrency pre-warms a set number of execution environments, keeping them initialized and ready to handle requests instantly, which directly eliminates the cold start latency that occurs after a period of idle time. This is especially critical for Python functions loading large libraries like Pandas, where the initialization overhead can add several seconds to the first invocation. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Lambda handles idle functions in a VPC—a common trap is assuming that keeping the function warm with a CloudWatch Events rule is sufficient, but that only prevents full cold starts if the trigger fires frequently enough, whereas provisioned concurrency guarantees zero-latency readiness regardless of idle duration. Remember: if the question mentions "large library" or "first invocation after idle," think provisioned concurrency—it’s the only service that pre-initializes both the runtime and the VPC connections.
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 is troubleshooting an AWS Lambda function that experiences high latency for the first few invocations after being idle. The function is written in Python and uses a large library (e.g., Pandas). The function connects to an RDS database in a VPC. What is the most effective way to reduce the latency for the first invocation after idle?
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 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 function.
Provisioned concurrency keeps a specified number of execution environments initialized and ready to respond immediately, eliminating the cold start latency that occurs after a period of idle time. This is the most direct solution for reducing latency on the first invocation after idle, especially for functions with large libraries like Pandas that take significant time to load.
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 function's memory allocation to 3008 MB.
Why it's wrong here
More memory gives more CPU but does not prevent cold starts; initialization time still occurs.
✓
Enable provisioned concurrency on the function.
Why this is correct
Provisioned concurrency keeps the function initialized and ready, eliminating cold starts.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Move the large library to a Lambda layer.
Why it's wrong here
Layers help organize code but do not reduce cold start latency.
✗
Replace the RDS database with Amazon DynamoDB.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the database does not address the cold start problem.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse cold start mitigation strategies like increasing memory or using layers with the only AWS feature that truly eliminates cold starts for idle functions: provisioned concurrency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Provisioned concurrency works by pre-initializing the Lambda execution environment, including loading the runtime, dependencies, and running any code outside the handler (e.g., importing Pandas). When the function is idle, standard concurrency scales to zero, causing a cold start on the next invocation; provisioned concurrency maintains a warm pool, ensuring sub-100ms response times. In a VPC-configured function, this also avoids the latency of creating and attaching an Elastic Network Interface (ENI) during cold starts.
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.
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.
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: Enable provisioned concurrency on the function. — Provisioned concurrency keeps a specified number of execution environments initialized and ready to respond immediately, eliminating the cold start latency that occurs after a period of idle time. This is the most direct solution for reducing latency on the first invocation after idle, especially for functions with large libraries like Pandas that take significant time to load.
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.
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Question Discussion
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