The answer is that the IAM policy is missing the glue:CreateTable action. While the policy grants glue:GetTable and glue:GetDatabase permissions, creating a new table in the Glue Data Catalog requires the explicit glue:CreateTable permission, which is a separate write action not implied by read-only catalog access. On the AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty MLS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of granular IAM permissions for Glue Data Catalog operations, often appearing as a trap where candidates assume S3 read/write access is sufficient for catalog writes. The key distinction is that S3 actions handle data storage, while catalog actions manage metadata—a common point of confusion. Remember the mnemonic: "Get reads the menu, Create orders the meal"—you need the specific action for each operation.
MLS-C01 Data Engineering Practice Question
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. 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.
An IAM policy attached to an AWS Glue job allows reading and writing to an S3 bucket and accessing Glue Data Catalog. The job fails with an access denied error when trying to create a table in the Data Catalog. What is the likely issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The policy does not include the glue:CreateTable action.
The policy allows GetTable and GetDatabase actions, but not CreateTable. The job needs glue:CreateTable permission. The S3 actions are sufficient. The error is specifically about creating a table.
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.
✗
The Glue Data Catalog is not enabled for the account.
Why it's wrong here
If the catalog were disabled, other actions would also fail.
✗
The job does not have permission to write to the S3 bucket.
Why it's wrong here
The policy includes s3:PutObject.
✗
The S3 bucket is encrypted with a KMS key that the job cannot access.
Why it's wrong here
No KMS permissions are in the policy, but error is about catalog, not S3.
✓
The policy does not include the glue:CreateTable action.
Why this is correct
Only GetTable and GetDatabase are allowed, not CreateTable.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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.
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
Data Engineering — This question tests Data Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy does not include the glue:CreateTable action. — The policy allows GetTable and GetDatabase actions, but not CreateTable. The job needs glue:CreateTable permission. The S3 actions are sufficient. The error is specifically about creating a table.
What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
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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