- A
Use Lambda provisioned concurrency to pre-warm the function and reduce cold starts.
Why wrong: Provisioned concurrency reduces cold starts but does not guarantee request handling during sudden spikes; requests may still throttle.
- B
Configure API Gateway with a usage plan and throttling, and set Lambda reserved concurrency to limit the function's maximum capacity.
Usage plans and throttling control the request rate, while reserved concurrency ensures the Lambda function has dedicated capacity to handle the allowed traffic without being throttled by other functions.
- C
Use AWS Step Functions to orchestrate the Lambda invocations and implement retry logic.
Why wrong: Step Functions adds complexity and does not directly prevent loss; it can retry on failures but does not handle throttling at the API Gateway level.
- D
Use Amazon SQS to buffer requests and have Lambda poll the queue at a fixed rate.
Why wrong: SQS can buffer requests, but if traffic spikes exceed the polling rate, messages may accumulate and be delayed, not lost, but this does not prevent loss due to throttling.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure API Gateway with a usage plan and throttling, and set Lambda reserved concurrency to limit the function's maximum capacity. This combination directly addresses the need to handle traffic spikes without losing requests because API Gateway throttling acts as a safety valve, queuing or rejecting excess traffic before it overwhelms the backend, while Lambda reserved concurrency guarantees a dedicated pool of execution capacity, preventing the function from being throttled by other functions in the account. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to protect serverless endpoints from burst traffic—a common trap is confusing reserved concurrency (which caps max capacity to prevent loss) with provisioned concurrency (which pre-warms instances but doesn’t prevent request loss). Remember the memory tip: “Reserve for control, provision for speed”—reserved concurrency ensures no requests are dropped by locking in capacity, while throttling shapes the incoming load.
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 serverless application using AWS Lambda and Amazon API Gateway. The application must handle sudden spikes in traffic and ensure that no requests are lost. Which of the following design choices will BEST meet these requirements?
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
Configure API Gateway with a usage plan and throttling, and set Lambda reserved concurrency to limit the function's maximum capacity.
Option B is correct because configuring API Gateway with usage plans and throttling prevents overwhelming the backend, while Lambda reserved concurrency ensures a minimum capacity for the function. Option A is wrong because Lambda provisioned concurrency adds cost and is for reducing cold starts, not for handling spikes without loss. Option C is wrong because SQS decouples but does not prevent loss if Lambda doesn't scale. Option D is wrong because Step Functions add orchestration overhead and complexity.
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.
- ✗
Use Lambda provisioned concurrency to pre-warm the function and reduce cold starts.
Why it's wrong here
Provisioned concurrency reduces cold starts but does not guarantee request handling during sudden spikes; requests may still throttle.
- ✓
Configure API Gateway with a usage plan and throttling, and set Lambda reserved concurrency to limit the function's maximum capacity.
Why this is correct
Usage plans and throttling control the request rate, while reserved concurrency ensures the Lambda function has dedicated capacity to handle the allowed traffic without being throttled by other functions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS Step Functions to orchestrate the Lambda invocations and implement retry logic.
Why it's wrong here
Step Functions adds complexity and does not directly prevent loss; it can retry on failures but does not handle throttling at the API Gateway level.
- ✗
Use Amazon SQS to buffer requests and have Lambda poll the queue at a fixed rate.
Why it's wrong here
SQS can buffer requests, but if traffic spikes exceed the polling rate, messages may accumulate and be delayed, not lost, but this does not prevent loss due to throttling.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 SAP-C02 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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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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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: Configure API Gateway with a usage plan and throttling, and set Lambda reserved concurrency to limit the function's maximum capacity. — Option B is correct because configuring API Gateway with usage plans and throttling prevents overwhelming the backend, while Lambda reserved concurrency ensures a minimum capacity for the function. Option A is wrong because Lambda provisioned concurrency adds cost and is for reducing cold starts, not for handling spikes without loss. Option C is wrong because SQS decouples but does not prevent loss if Lambda doesn't scale. Option D is wrong because Step Functions add orchestration overhead and complexity.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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