hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
MLA-C01 Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
TrainingStep(
name="TrainModel",
step_args=train_args,
depends_on=[tuning_step]
)
tuning_step = TuningStep(...) # produces multiple artifactsRefer to the exhibit. A SageMaker Pipeline fails with 'Invalid output reference' at the TrainingStep. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
AWS often tests the subtle distinction between output reference errors caused by naming mismatches versus those caused by cardinality mismatches, where candidates mistakenly focus on permissions or spelling instead of the pipeline's inability to handle multiple artifacts.
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
✓
The TrainingStep expects a single artifact but TuningStep produces multiple
In SageMaker Pipelines, a `TrainingStep` that expects a single artifact as input will fail with 'Invalid output reference' if the preceding `TuningStep` produces multiple artifacts (e.g., from multiple training jobs). The pipeline cannot resolve which specific artifact to pass, causing the error.
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 TuningStep output name is misspelled
Why it's wrong here
A misspelling would cause an 'undefined reference' error, not 'invalid output reference'.
- ✗
The pipeline role lacks permissions
Why it's wrong here
Permission errors would show access denied, not invalid reference.
- ✓
The TrainingStep expects a single artifact but TuningStep produces multiple
Why this is correct
Tuning step outputs multiple models; directly passing to training step causes ambiguity.
- ✗
The instance type is incompatible
Why it's wrong here
Instance type issues cause resource errors, not invalid output reference.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 835 original MLA-C01 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This MLA-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 MLA-C01 exam.