Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon EventBridge (formerly CloudWatch Events) because it is the native AWS service designed to trigger actions on a recurring schedule, making it the correct choice for scheduling an AWS Glue ETL job to run every hour. EventBridge uses cron or rate expressions to define the schedule and can directly invoke the Glue job as a target, eliminating the need for additional compute or orchestration layers. On the AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty MLS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of how to automate batch data pipelines, a common pattern for machine learning workflows that require periodic data ingestion from DynamoDB to S3. A frequent trap is confusing EventBridge with AWS Lambda, but Lambda is a compute service, not a scheduler—it can be triggered by EventBridge but does not schedule itself. Another common mistake is choosing Step Functions, which is for orchestrating multi-step workflows, not for simple time-based triggers. Memory tip: think of EventBridge as the “alarm clock” for your AWS services—it wakes them up on time, every time.
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. 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 data engineer needs to schedule an AWS Glue ETL job to run every hour. The job reads from an Amazon DynamoDB table and writes to Amazon S3. Which AWS service should the engineer use to trigger the Glue job on schedule?
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why wrong: Kinesis is for streaming, not scheduling.
AWS Step Functions
Why wrong: Step Functions can orchestrate but scheduling is typically done via EventBridge.
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
EventBridge can schedule events to trigger Glue jobs.
AWS Lambda
Why wrong: Lambda is not a scheduling service; it can be triggered by schedules but not the scheduler itself.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
Option A is correct. Amazon CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can trigger Glue jobs on a schedule. Option B is wrong because AWS Lambda is not a scheduler. Option C is wrong because Amazon Kinesis is for streaming. Option D is wrong because AWS Step Functions is for orchestrating workflows, but scheduling is typically done via EventBridge.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why it's wrong here
Kinesis is for streaming, not scheduling.
AWS Step Functions
Why it's wrong here
Step Functions can orchestrate but scheduling is typically done via EventBridge.
Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events)
Why this is correct
EventBridge can schedule events to trigger Glue jobs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
Lambda is not a scheduling service; it can be triggered by schedules but not the scheduler itself.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
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FAQ
Data Engineering — This question tests Data Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) — Option A is correct. Amazon CloudWatch Events (now Amazon EventBridge) can trigger Glue jobs on a schedule. Option B is wrong because AWS Lambda is not a scheduler. Option C is wrong because Amazon Kinesis is for streaming. Option D is wrong because AWS Step Functions is for orchestrating workflows, but scheduling is typically done via EventBridge.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer needs to schedule an AWS Glue ETL job to run every hour. Which service should they use for scheduling?
easyWhy B: Amazon CloudWatch Events (now part of Amazon EventBridge) can trigger an AWS Glue ETL job on a schedule using a cron or rate expression. This is the native, serverless scheduling service for running jobs at fixed intervals, such as every hour, without needing to manage any infrastructure.
Variation 2. A data engineer needs to schedule an AWS Glue ETL job to run every hour. Which service should be used to trigger the job?
easyWhy C: Option B is correct because Amazon CloudWatch Events (EventBridge) can trigger Glue jobs on a schedule. Option A is wrong because Lambda can trigger Glue but is not a scheduler; Option C is wrong because Data Pipeline is for complex workflows; Option D is wrong because Step Functions is for state machines, not simple scheduling.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This MLS-C01 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 MLS-C01 exam.
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