- A
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
Why wrong: Amazon ElastiCache for Redis provides sub-millisecond latency but is not serverless; it requires managing cache clusters, which conflicts with the serverless requirement. DynamoDB, with its serverless nature and TTL support, is a better fit.
- B
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: Amazon RDS for MySQL is a relational database with higher latency and is not serverless, making it unsuitable for session state in a serverless application.
- C
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon DynamoDB is a serverless, fully managed NoSQL database that supports key-value access patterns with TTL expiration, making it ideal for session state in serverless architectures.
- D
Amazon S3
Why wrong: Amazon S3 is an object storage service with high latency for frequent read/write operations, not designed for session state.
SAP-C02 Serverless session management 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. A key principle to apply: serverless session management. 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 for business logic and Amazon API Gateway for REST APIs. The application needs to store and retrieve user session data. Which service should they use for session state?
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
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon DynamoDB is the correct choice for storing user session state in a serverless application with Lambda and API Gateway. DynamoDB is serverless, fully managed, and scales automatically, aligning with the serverless design. It supports TTL (time-to-live) for automatic session expiration, and provides single-digit millisecond latency suitable for session management. While ElastiCache offers lower latency, it requires managing cache clusters and is not serverless, contradicting the requirement.
Key principle: Serverless session management
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
Why it's wrong here
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis provides sub-millisecond latency but is not serverless; it requires managing cache clusters, which conflicts with the serverless requirement. DynamoDB, with its serverless nature and TTL support, is a better fit.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Amazon RDS for MySQL is a relational database with higher latency and is not serverless, making it unsuitable for session state in a serverless application.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB
Why this is correct
Amazon DynamoDB is a serverless, fully managed NoSQL database that supports key-value access patterns with TTL expiration, making it ideal for session state in serverless architectures.
Related concept
Serverless session management
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 is an object storage service with high latency for frequent read/write operations, not designed for session state.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates may choose ElastiCache for Redis because of its in-memory performance and TTL support, but they overlook the serverless requirement. DynamoDB is the recommended serverless service for session management in Lambda and API Gateway applications.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, ElastiCache for Redis uses a single-threaded event loop with non-blocking I/O, enabling it to handle tens of thousands of operations per second with consistent single-digit millisecond latency. A common real-world scenario is a gaming leaderboard or shopping cart session where TTL-based expiry automatically removes stale data, and Redis's Sorted Sets or Hashes can store complex session attributes without schema changes. The key distinction is that session state is transient and requires fast access, which aligns with Redis's in-memory architecture, whereas DynamoDB's auto-scaling and replication are better suited for durable, long-lived application data.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Serverless session management
- DynamoDB TTL
- State management in Lambda
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
Serverless session management
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.
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 serverless session management, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Serverless session management.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon DynamoDB — Amazon DynamoDB is the correct choice for storing user session state in a serverless application with Lambda and API Gateway. DynamoDB is serverless, fully managed, and scales automatically, aligning with the serverless design. It supports TTL (time-to-live) for automatic session expiration, and provides single-digit millisecond latency suitable for session management. While ElastiCache offers lower latency, it requires managing cache clusters and is not serverless, contradicting the requirement.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review serverless session management, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Serverless session management
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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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