- A
Configure S3 Event Notifications to send an event to an Amazon SQS queue, which is polled by an AWS Lambda function
S3 event to SQS decouples the upload from processing. Lambda polls SQS and can process messages asynchronously; Lambda can run up to 15 minutes.
- B
Configure S3 Event Notifications to publish a message to an Amazon SNS topic, which triggers an AWS Lambda function
Why wrong: SNS can trigger Lambda, but if processing takes up to 15 minutes, it's still subject to Lambda timeout; also SNS does not provide a queue for decoupling.
- C
Configure S3 Event Notifications to invoke an AWS Lambda function synchronously
Why wrong: Lambda synchronous invocation would time out if processing takes more than 15 minutes (Lambda max timeout is 15 minutes).
- D
Use Amazon EventBridge to capture S3 events and trigger an AWS Step Functions workflow
Why wrong: EventBridge and Step Functions can be used, but the simplest and most direct way is S3 event to SQS to Lambda, as Step Functions adds complexity.
Asynchronous Image Processing with S3, SQS, and Lambda
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 that processes images uploaded to an S3 bucket. The processing must be asynchronous and can take up to 15 minutes per image. Which AWS service should be used to trigger the processing?
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 S3 Event Notifications to send an event to an Amazon SQS queue, which is polled by an AWS Lambda function
Option A is correct because S3 Event Notifications can asynchronously deliver events to an SQS queue, and an AWS Lambda function can poll that queue. This decouples the processing from the S3 upload, allowing the Lambda function to handle the 15-minute processing limit asynchronously without timing out, since Lambda's maximum execution time is 15 minutes.
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.
- ✓
Configure S3 Event Notifications to send an event to an Amazon SQS queue, which is polled by an AWS Lambda function
Why this is correct
S3 event to SQS decouples the upload from processing. Lambda polls SQS and can process messages asynchronously; Lambda can run up to 15 minutes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure S3 Event Notifications to publish a message to an Amazon SNS topic, which triggers an AWS Lambda function
Why it's wrong here
SNS can trigger Lambda, but if processing takes up to 15 minutes, it's still subject to Lambda timeout; also SNS does not provide a queue for decoupling.
- ✗
Configure S3 Event Notifications to invoke an AWS Lambda function synchronously
Why it's wrong here
Lambda synchronous invocation would time out if processing takes more than 15 minutes (Lambda max timeout is 15 minutes).
- ✗
Use Amazon EventBridge to capture S3 events and trigger an AWS Step Functions workflow
Why it's wrong here
EventBridge and Step Functions can be used, but the simplest and most direct way is S3 event to SQS to Lambda, as Step Functions adds complexity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume Lambda's synchronous invocation (Option C) is suitable because it can run up to 15 minutes, but they overlook that S3 synchronous invocation is not designed for asynchronous workloads and can cause timeouts or lost events if the processing takes the full duration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 Event Notifications can deliver events to SQS, SNS, or Lambda, but for asynchronous processing with a 15-minute window, SQS provides a durable buffer that decouples the producer (S3) from the consumer (Lambda). Lambda's maximum execution time is 15 minutes (900 seconds), so a single invocation can process the entire image. The SQS queue also allows for retries and dead-letter queues to handle failures, which is critical for long-running image processing tasks.
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 Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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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 S3 Event Notifications to send an event to an Amazon SQS queue, which is polled by an AWS Lambda function — Option A is correct because S3 Event Notifications can asynchronously deliver events to an SQS queue, and an AWS Lambda function can poll that queue. This decouples the processing from the S3 upload, allowing the Lambda function to handle the 15-minute processing limit asynchronously without timing out, since Lambda's maximum execution time is 15 minutes.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
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