The answer is ensuring the Lambda function processes each batch within the Kinesis stream's iterator age. This is correct because Lambda scales concurrency at the shard level—each shard is processed by a single Lambda instance, so with 10 shards you are capped at 10 concurrent executions, regardless of the 5,000 records per second load. If the function takes 30 seconds per record, the iterator age (the time a record waits before being read) will balloon past the 7-day maximum, causing data to be discarded or throttled. On the SAP-C02 exam, this tests your understanding that Kinesis shard-level concurrency is the bottleneck, not Lambda account limits; a common trap is assuming Lambda can simply scale up more instances. Remember the mnemonic: “Shards are your guards”—the number of shards directly guards your maximum concurrency, so iterator age is the clock you must beat.
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 serverless data processing pipeline. An AWS Lambda function processes records from an Amazon Kinesis Data Stream. The function runs for an average of 30 seconds per record, and the stream has 10 shards. The company expects a sustained load of 5,000 records per second. What is the primary consideration to ensure the Lambda function can scale to handle the load?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure that the Lambda function processes each batch within the Kinesis stream's iterator age.
Option B is correct because each Lambda function instance processes one shard at a time, so the number of concurrent executions equals the number of shards (10). The function must be able to process records within the Kinesis iterator age to avoid throttling. Option A is wrong because Lambda can handle the concurrency; the limit is per shard. Option C is wrong because reserved concurrency could limit scaling. Option D is wrong because Lambda scales within the account limits, but the shard count is the bottleneck.
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.
✓
Ensure that the Lambda function processes each batch within the Kinesis stream's iterator age.
Why this is correct
Each shard is processed by a single Lambda instance; if processing takes too long, the iterator age grows and records may expire.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Request a service quota increase for Lambda concurrent executions.
Why it's wrong here
The default concurrent execution limit is high enough for 10 shards; the issue is not account-level limits.
✗
Set a reserved concurrency of 500 for the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Reserved concurrency limits the function, but the bottleneck is the number of shards, not account concurrency limits.
✗
Increase the Lambda function timeout to more than 30 seconds.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout does not affect scaling; the issue is concurrency per shard.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Ensure that the Lambda function processes each batch within the Kinesis stream's iterator age. — Option B is correct because each Lambda function instance processes one shard at a time, so the number of concurrent executions equals the number of shards (10). The function must be able to process records within the Kinesis iterator age to avoid throttling. Option A is wrong because Lambda can handle the concurrency; the limit is per shard. Option C is wrong because reserved concurrency could limit scaling. Option D is wrong because Lambda scales within the account limits, but the shard count is the bottleneck.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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