- A
Set Lambda reserved concurrency to a value that matches the expected peak load.
Reserved concurrency limits the maximum concurrent executions, preventing throttling and uncontrolled scaling.
- B
Increase the Lambda function timeout to 15 minutes.
Why wrong: Timeout affects execution duration, not concurrency handling.
- C
Enable usage plans and throttling in API Gateway to limit requests.
Throttling protects the backend from being overwhelmed by too many requests.
- D
Use Amazon SQS to buffer requests and decouple the frontend.
Why wrong: SQS buffering helps but does not address Lambda concurrency limits; also adds latency.
- E
Configure Lambda provisioned concurrency to pre-warm instances.
Why wrong: Provisioned concurrency is for latency-sensitive applications, not for handling spikes.
Quick Answer
The answer is to enable Lambda reserved concurrency and API Gateway usage plans with throttling. Lambda reserved concurrency guarantees a fixed pool of execution capacity for your function, preventing it from being throttled by other functions in the account during a sudden traffic spike; API Gateway throttling, via usage plans, limits the request rate at the entry point, protecting downstream resources from being overwhelmed. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of how to control concurrency at both the compute and API layers—a common trap is relying solely on API Gateway throttling without reserving Lambda concurrency, which can still lead to account-level throttling errors. Remember the memory tip: “Reserve the runway, throttle the gate”—reserved concurrency secures your function’s capacity, while API throttling manages the flow of incoming requests.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 company is designing a new serverless application that processes orders from an e-commerce website. The application uses AWS Lambda functions that are invoked by Amazon API Gateway. The company expects a sudden spike in traffic during a flash sale. Which TWO strategies should be used to ensure the application can handle the spike without errors? (Choose two.)
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
Set Lambda reserved concurrency to a value that matches the expected peak load.
Option A is correct because Lambda reserved concurrency guarantees a fixed number of concurrent executions for the function, preventing it from being throttled by other functions in the account. By setting reserved concurrency to match the expected peak load, the application ensures that all requests during the flash sale can be processed without hitting account-level concurrency limits.
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.
- ✓
Set Lambda reserved concurrency to a value that matches the expected peak load.
Why this is correct
Reserved concurrency limits the maximum concurrent executions, preventing throttling and uncontrolled scaling.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the Lambda function timeout to 15 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout affects execution duration, not concurrency handling.
- ✓
Enable usage plans and throttling in API Gateway to limit requests.
Why this is correct
Throttling protects the backend from being overwhelmed by too many requests.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon SQS to buffer requests and decouple the frontend.
Why it's wrong here
SQS buffering helps but does not address Lambda concurrency limits; also adds latency.
- ✗
Configure Lambda provisioned concurrency to pre-warm instances.
Why it's wrong here
Provisioned concurrency is for latency-sensitive applications, not for handling spikes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse provisioned concurrency (which reduces cold starts) with reserved concurrency (which guarantees capacity and prevents throttling), leading them to select Option E instead of Option A.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Lambda reserved concurrency sets a hard limit on the number of concurrent executions for a function, which also allocates a portion of the account's regional concurrency pool to that function. During a flash sale, API Gateway can invoke Lambda directly, and without reserved concurrency, the function could be throttled if other functions consume the account's concurrency. Usage plans and throttling in API Gateway (Option C) complement reserved concurrency by limiting the rate of requests from clients, preventing the Lambda function from being overwhelmed and reducing the risk of 429 errors.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Design for New Solutions practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SAP-C02 questions
1,746 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SAP-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SAP-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity.
Design for New Solutions practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Design for New Solutions.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions.
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization.
SAA-C03 VPC practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC.
SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions.
SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions.
SAA-C03 IAM policy practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 IAM policy.
SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions.
SAA-C03 CloudFront practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 CloudFront.
SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions.
SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free SAP-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set Lambda reserved concurrency to a value that matches the expected peak load. — Option A is correct because Lambda reserved concurrency guarantees a fixed number of concurrent executions for the function, preventing it from being throttled by other functions in the account. By setting reserved concurrency to match the expected peak load, the application ensures that all requests during the flash sale can be processed without hitting account-level concurrency limits.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.