The correct answer is Amazon Kinesis Data Streams paired with AWS Lambda. Kinesis Data Streams provides the durable, scalable ingestion layer required for variable-throughput IoT streaming data, automatically persisting records for up to 365 days across multiple Availability Zones. Lambda then processes each record in near real-time, enabling direct output to Amazon S3 for durable storage. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between real-time streaming ingestion and batch-loading services: a common trap is choosing Kinesis Data Firehose, which is optimized for loading into destinations like S3 but lacks the per-record processing control and replay capability of Data Streams. Another trap is selecting SQS or SNS, which are message queuing and notification services, not designed for ordered, replayable data streams. Remember the memory tip: "Streams for streaming, Firehose for loading" — if you need durable, real-time ingestion with Lambda processing, always reach for Kinesis Data Streams first.
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 system to ingest and process real-time streaming data from thousands of IoT devices. The system must be able to handle variable throughput and provide durable storage for the data. The data will be processed by a Lambda function and then stored in Amazon S3. Which two services should be used together to build this ingestion pipeline?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Lambda
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams provides durable, scalable ingestion, and AWS Lambda can process the data in real time. Option A and C are correct. Option B is wrong because Kinesis Data Firehose is used for loading data into destinations, not for real-time processing with Lambda (though it can invoke Lambda, but Data Streams is better for real-time). Option D is wrong because SQS is for message queues, not streaming. Option E is wrong because SNS is for pub/sub notifications.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
AWS Lambda
Why this is correct
Can process records from Kinesis Data Streams in near real-time.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose
Why it's wrong here
Firehose is for delivery to destinations, not for real-time processing with Lambda.
✗
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Why it's wrong here
SQS is for message queuing, not streaming.
✓
Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why this is correct
Provides scalable, durable streaming ingestion.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS)
Why it's wrong here
SNS is for pub/sub messaging, not streaming.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Lambda — Amazon Kinesis Data Streams provides durable, scalable ingestion, and AWS Lambda can process the data in real time. Option A and C are correct. Option B is wrong because Kinesis Data Firehose is used for loading data into destinations, not for real-time processing with Lambda (though it can invoke Lambda, but Data Streams is better for real-time). Option D is wrong because SQS is for message queues, not streaming. Option E is wrong because SNS is for pub/sub notifications.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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