- A
Use DynamoDB Streams to trigger the Lambda function for each record.
Why wrong: DynamoDB Streams are not the source; the source is Kinesis.
- B
Use an Amazon SQS FIFO queue as the event source for the Lambda function to maintain order.
Why wrong: SQS FIFO does not directly integrate with Kinesis Data Streams.
- C
Configure the Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards.
10 shards provide sufficient throughput and each shard maintains record order.
- D
Use AWS Step Functions to coordinate processing of records and ensure exactly-once delivery.
Why wrong: Step Functions can orchestrate but does not guarantee ordering from Kinesis.
- E
Configure the Lambda function to process records from each shard sequentially by setting the batch size to 1.
Processing one record at a time ensures exactly-once processing and order.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure the Lambda function with a batch size of 1 and use a Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards. This combination ensures exactly-once ordered processing because Kinesis guarantees strict record ordering within a single shard, and setting the Lambda batch size to 1 forces the function to process each record one at a time, preventing any reordering or batching that could break the sequence. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Kinesis shard-level ordering interacts with Lambda’s synchronous invocation model—a common trap is assuming a larger batch size still preserves order, but only a batch size of 1 guarantees sequential processing per shard. The throughput of 1,000 records per second dictates exactly 10 shards, as each shard supports up to 1,000 writes per second. Memory tip: think “one shard, one record, one Lambda” to recall that ordering and exactly-once semantics require a batch size of 1 per shard.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 data processing pipeline using AWS Step Functions, AWS Lambda, and Amazon DynamoDB. The pipeline must process incoming JSON records from an Amazon Kinesis Data Stream. Each record must be processed exactly once and in order. The company expects a throughput of up to 1,000 records per second. Which combination of services and configurations should the company use to meet these requirements? (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
Configure the Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards.
Option C is correct because with a throughput of 1,000 records per second, a Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards provides the necessary capacity (each shard supports up to 1,000 records/second for ingestion and 2 MB/s for reads). This shard count ensures the stream can handle the peak load without throttling, while maintaining the ordering guarantee within each shard.
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 DynamoDB Streams to trigger the Lambda function for each record.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB Streams are not the source; the source is Kinesis.
- ✗
Use an Amazon SQS FIFO queue as the event source for the Lambda function to maintain order.
Why it's wrong here
SQS FIFO does not directly integrate with Kinesis Data Streams.
- ✓
Configure the Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards.
Why this is correct
10 shards provide sufficient throughput and each shard maintains record order.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS Step Functions to coordinate processing of records and ensure exactly-once delivery.
Why it's wrong here
Step Functions can orchestrate but does not guarantee ordering from Kinesis.
- ✓
Configure the Lambda function to process records from each shard sequentially by setting the batch size to 1.
Why this is correct
Processing one record at a time ensures exactly-once processing and order.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume Step Functions can enforce exactly-once delivery, but Step Functions is a state machine orchestrator and does not provide data-level deduplication; exactly-once processing must be implemented at the application layer with idempotent consumers.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Kinesis Data Streams guarantee record ordering within a shard, so processing records sequentially per shard (batch size 1) ensures strict order without parallelization across shards. The Lambda function must be idempotent to handle potential retries, as Kinesis uses at-least-once delivery; exactly-once processing is achieved by deduplication logic (e.g., using a DynamoDB table with a record ID as the primary key). Under the hood, Kinesis shards provide a fixed capacity of 1 MB/s or 1,000 records/s for writes, and 2 MB/s for reads, making shard count a critical design decision for throughput.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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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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 the Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards. — Option C is correct because with a throughput of 1,000 records per second, a Kinesis Data Stream with 10 shards provides the necessary capacity (each shard supports up to 1,000 records/second for ingestion and 2 MB/s for reads). This shard count ensures the stream can handle the peak load without throttling, while maintaining the ordering guarantee within each shard.
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: Jun 11, 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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