- A
Deploy the job on EC2 instances and keep them running continuously for the daily schedule.
Why wrong: Always-on EC2 instances increase cost and do not minimize operational overhead for short-lived jobs.
- B
Use AWS Lambda triggered by a schedule (for example, EventBridge) to run the report at the required time.
Lambda runs on demand and charges for execution time, aligning spend with actual job runtime and reducing ops.
- C
Run the job in an RDS database using stored procedures scheduled by the database engine.
Why wrong: RDS is not designed for general scheduled compute workloads like daily report generation.
- D
Use an Auto Scaling group with a fixed minimum size of one instance and disable scaling.
Why wrong: A fixed-size Auto Scaling group still requires instance management and does not fully match runtime-based billing.
SAA-C03 AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service. Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design cost-optimized architectures. 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. A key principle to apply: aWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.. 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 internal team runs a report-generation job once per day. It typically finishes in a few minutes, and even on its slowest days it still completes in under 15 minutes. The team wants to reduce operational overhead and pay primarily for actual runtime instead of keeping servers running 24/7. Which AWS approach best matches these goals?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Use AWS Lambda triggered by a schedule (for example, EventBridge) to run the report at the required time.
AWS Lambda is the ideal choice because it is a serverless compute service that runs code only when triggered, aligning with the requirement to pay primarily for actual runtime. By using Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) to invoke the Lambda function on a daily schedule, the team eliminates the need to provision or manage servers, and the job's typical runtime of a few minutes (under 15 minutes, Lambda's maximum execution timeout) fits perfectly within Lambda's constraints.
Key principle: AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deploy the job on EC2 instances and keep them running continuously for the daily schedule.
Why it's wrong here
Always-on EC2 instances increase cost and do not minimize operational overhead for short-lived jobs.
- ✓
Use AWS Lambda triggered by a schedule (for example, EventBridge) to run the report at the required time.
Why this is correct
Lambda runs on demand and charges for execution time, aligning spend with actual job runtime and reducing ops.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.
- ✗
Run the job in an RDS database using stored procedures scheduled by the database engine.
Why it's wrong here
RDS is not designed for general scheduled compute workloads like daily report generation.
- ✗
Use an Auto Scaling group with a fixed minimum size of one instance and disable scaling.
Why it's wrong here
A fixed-size Auto Scaling group still requires instance management and does not fully match runtime-based billing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overlook Lambda's 15-minute timeout limit and assume any short-duration job is suitable, or they may mistakenly think that RDS stored procedures (Option C) are a cost-effective compute alternative, when in fact they are not designed for general-purpose application logic and still require a running database instance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Lambda has a maximum execution timeout of 15 minutes (900 seconds), which aligns with the job's slowest completion time. Under the hood, Lambda uses a Firecracker microVM for each invocation, ensuring strong isolation and rapid scaling. A real-world scenario where this matters is when a job occasionally spikes to 14 minutes; Lambda's timeout would be a hard limit, so the team must ensure the job never exceeds 15 minutes, or they would need to refactor the job into smaller chunks or use AWS Step Functions for orchestration.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.
- Lambda charges per invocation and execution duration (ms granularity).
- EventBridge can trigger Lambda functions on a schedule.
- Lambda eliminates server provisioning and management overhead.
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
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — This question tests Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Lambda triggered by a schedule (for example, EventBridge) to run the report at the required time. — AWS Lambda is the ideal choice because it is a serverless compute service that runs code only when triggered, aligning with the requirement to pay primarily for actual runtime. By using Amazon EventBridge (CloudWatch Events) to invoke the Lambda function on a daily schedule, the team eliminates the need to provision or manage servers, and the job's typical runtime of a few minutes (under 15 minutes, Lambda's maximum execution timeout) fits perfectly within Lambda's constraints.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Review aWS Lambda is a serverless compute service., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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