- A
Enable CloudWatch Logs for Lambda and create a metric filter to trigger an alarm.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs only captures logs, not the failed invocations themselves.
- B
Use Amazon EventBridge to capture Lambda errors and route them to a recovery function.
Why wrong: EventBridge does not automatically retry failed Lambda invocations.
- C
Configure an SQS queue as the Lambda event source with a dead-letter queue for failed messages.
SQS provides reliable message delivery and retries; dead-letter queue captures messages that exceed retry attempts.
- D
Publish failed invocation details to an SNS topic and subscribe a Lambda function to process them.
Why wrong: SNS does not store messages; if the subscriber fails, messages are lost.
Question 673 of 1,746
SAP-C02 Dead-letter queue (DLQ) Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: dead-letter queue (DLQ). 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 uses AWS Lambda functions to process orders. Recently, some orders have been lost due to Lambda throttling. The operations team wants to implement a solution to capture failed invocations and retry them. What is the MOST reliable approach?
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 an SQS queue as the Lambda event source with a dead-letter queue for failed messages.
Option C is correct because an SQS queue configured as a Lambda event source provides reliable invocation with retry logic, and a dead-letter queue (DLQ) captures messages that fail after all retries, preventing loss. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs capture logs but do not capture or retry failed invocations. Option B is wrong because EventBridge can capture errors but does not provide built-in retry or a DLQ for Lambda throttling. Option D is wrong because SNS publishes messages but does not store them for retry; if the subscriber fails, the message is lost unless additional mechanisms are implemented.
Key principle: Dead-letter queue (DLQ)
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable CloudWatch Logs for Lambda and create a metric filter to trigger an alarm.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs only captures logs, not the failed invocations themselves.
- ✗
Use Amazon EventBridge to capture Lambda errors and route them to a recovery function.
Why it's wrong here
EventBridge does not automatically retry failed Lambda invocations.
- ✓
Configure an SQS queue as the Lambda event source with a dead-letter queue for failed messages.
Why this is correct
SQS provides reliable message delivery and retries; dead-letter queue captures messages that exceed retry attempts.
Related concept
Dead-letter queue (DLQ)
- ✗
Publish failed invocation details to an SNS topic and subscribe a Lambda function to process them.
Why it's wrong here
SNS does not store messages; if the subscriber fails, messages are lost.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often confuse EventBridge with SQS for managing retries, but SQS with a DLQ is the standard pattern for reliable invocation and failure handling in Lambda.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Dead-letter queue (DLQ)
- Lambda throttling
- Amazon SQS as an event source
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
Dead-letter queue (DLQ)
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Dead-letter queue (DLQ) Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review dead-letter queue (DLQ), then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Dead-letter queue (DLQ).
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure an SQS queue as the Lambda event source with a dead-letter queue for failed messages. — Option C is correct because an SQS queue configured as a Lambda event source provides reliable invocation with retry logic, and a dead-letter queue (DLQ) captures messages that fail after all retries, preventing loss. Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs capture logs but do not capture or retry failed invocations. Option B is wrong because EventBridge can capture errors but does not provide built-in retry or a DLQ for Lambda throttling. Option D is wrong because SNS publishes messages but does not store them for retry; if the subscriber fails, the message is lost unless additional mechanisms are implemented.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review dead-letter queue (DLQ), then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Dead-letter queue (DLQ)
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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