Question 1,549 of 1,755
Data EngineeringeasyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

Analyze Streaming IoT Data with Kinesis Data Analytics and Store in S3

This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company wants to analyze streaming data from IoT devices in near-real-time. They need to store raw data in Amazon S3 and also run SQL queries on the streaming data. Which TWO services should they use?

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

Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics

Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics is correct because it enables running SQL queries on streaming data in near-real-time, allowing the company to analyze IoT data as it arrives without needing to store it first. It integrates directly with Kinesis Data Streams or Firehose to process data streams using standard SQL, making it ideal for real-time analytics on streaming data.

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.

  • AWS Glue

    Why it's wrong here

    Batch ETL, not real-time.

  • Amazon Kinesis Data Streams

    Why it's wrong here

    Needs custom consumers for SQL queries.

  • Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics

    Why this is correct

    Runs SQL on streaming data.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose

    Why this is correct

    Delivers data to S3.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • AWS Lambda

    Why it's wrong here

    Not for SQL queries.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse Kinesis Data Streams (which only ingests and stores data) with Kinesis Data Analytics (which provides SQL querying), or they mistakenly think AWS Glue can handle real-time streaming SQL when it is actually designed for batch processing.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Kinesis Data Analytics uses an internal SQL engine that continuously reads from a Kinesis stream or Firehose delivery stream, applying in-application reference tables and windowed aggregations (e.g., tumbling, sliding, or session windows) to compute results in sub-second latency. Under the hood, it leverages Apache Flink as the runtime, which provides exactly-once processing semantics and automatic scaling based on the incoming data rate. A real-world scenario is analyzing temperature sensor data from thousands of IoT devices to detect anomalies (e.g., sudden spikes) and trigger alerts within seconds.

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.

Quick reference

AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison

Storage ClassMin DurationRetrievalUse Case
S3 StandardNoneImmediateFrequently accessed data
S3 Standard-IA30 daysImmediateInfrequent access, rapid retrieval
S3 One Zone-IA30 daysImmediateNon-critical infrequent data
S3 Intelligent-TieringNoneImmediate–hoursUnknown or changing access patterns
S3 Glacier Instant90 daysMillisecondsArchive with instant retrieval
S3 Glacier Flexible90 daysMinutes–hoursArchive, flexible retrieval
S3 Glacier Deep Archive180 daysHoursLong-term compliance archive

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this MLS-C01 question test?

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: Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics — Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics is correct because it enables running SQL queries on streaming data in near-real-time, allowing the company to analyze IoT data as it arrives without needing to store it first. It integrates directly with Kinesis Data Streams or Firehose to process data streams using standard SQL, making it ideal for real-time analytics on streaming data.

What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 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.

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on MLS-C01

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 company wants to perform real-time analytics on streaming data from clickstreams. The data needs to be ingested, processed, and made available for querying within seconds. Which AWS service should be used for the processing step?

easy
  • A.AWS Glue
  • B.Amazon Redshift
  • C.Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics
  • D.Amazon Athena

Why C: Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics is the correct choice because it enables real-time processing and analysis of streaming data using SQL or Apache Flink. It can ingest data from Kinesis Data Streams or Kinesis Data Firehose, process it with sub-second latency, and output results to destinations like Kinesis Data Streams or Firehose for further querying, meeting the requirement for analytics within seconds.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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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.