- A
Use provisioned concurrency for 1,000 concurrent executions with 128 MB memory.
Why wrong: Provisioned concurrency incurs additional cost and is not needed for occasional bursts.
- B
Place the Lambda function in a VPC with 1,024 MB memory for faster processing.
Why wrong: VPC adds latency and cost; 1,024 MB memory is over-provisioned.
- C
Set reserved concurrency to 1,000 and function memory to 256 MB.
Why wrong: Reserved concurrency may prevent scaling for other functions; 256 MB is more than needed.
- D
Set function memory to 128 MB and leave concurrency at the account default of 1,000.
128 MB is sufficient for small files; default concurrency handles bursts.
Question 1,296 of 1,746
Lambda Concurrency and Memory Optimization for High Burst Scenarios
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 application using AWS Lambda to process incoming files from Amazon S3. Each file is less than 1 MB and processing must complete within 10 seconds. The application must handle bursts of up to 1,000 concurrent invocations. Which configuration will provide the MOST cost-effective solution?
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
✓
Set function memory to 128 MB and leave concurrency at the account default of 1,000.
Option D is correct because the default account-level concurrency limit is 1,000 concurrent executions, which meets the burst requirement without additional cost. With files under 1 MB and a 10-second timeout, 128 MB memory is sufficient for lightweight processing, and provisioned or reserved concurrency would incur unnecessary charges since the workload is sporadic and does not require pre-warmed instances.
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 provisioned concurrency for 1,000 concurrent executions with 128 MB memory.
Why it's wrong here
Provisioned concurrency incurs additional cost and is not needed for occasional bursts.
- ✗
Place the Lambda function in a VPC with 1,024 MB memory for faster processing.
Why it's wrong here
VPC adds latency and cost; 1,024 MB memory is over-provisioned.
- ✗
Set reserved concurrency to 1,000 and function memory to 256 MB.
Why it's wrong here
Reserved concurrency may prevent scaling for other functions; 256 MB is more than needed.
- ✓
Set function memory to 128 MB and leave concurrency at the account default of 1,000.
Why this is correct
128 MB is sufficient for small files; default concurrency handles bursts.
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 reserved or provisioned concurrency is required for high concurrency, but the default account limit already supports 1,000 concurrent executions, and paying extra for guaranteed capacity is wasteful for a sporadic burst workload.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Lambda's default concurrency limit per account is 1,000, which is a soft limit that can be increased via support request. For short-lived, lightweight tasks (sub-1 MB files, <10 seconds), 128 MB memory provides sufficient CPU and network throughput, as Lambda allocates CPU proportionally to memory. Provisioned concurrency is designed for latency-sensitive applications requiring pre-initialized environments, but for bursty workloads with a 10-second timeout, the standard on-demand scaling (which can handle 500-3,000 concurrent executions per minute depending on region) is more cost-effective.
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 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.
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.
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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: Set function memory to 128 MB and leave concurrency at the account default of 1,000. — Option D is correct because the default account-level concurrency limit is 1,000 concurrent executions, which meets the burst requirement without additional cost. With files under 1 MB and a 10-second timeout, 128 MB memory is sufficient for lightweight processing, and provisioned or reserved concurrency would incur unnecessary charges since the workload is sporadic and does not require pre-warmed instances.
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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