- A
Increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes.
Longer visibility timeout ensures messages are not reprocessed while being handled.
- B
Set the Lambda function's reserved concurrency to 1.
Why wrong: Reserved concurrency limits execution but does not prevent duplicates from visibility timeout.
- C
Switch to a FIFO SQS queue and enable content-based deduplication.
FIFO queues guarantee exactly-once processing.
- D
Reduce the SQS batch size to 1.
Why wrong: Batch size affects how many messages Lambda receives, not duplicates.
- E
Configure a dead-letter queue for the SQS queue.
Why wrong: DLQ captures failed messages, not duplicates.
Question 1,739 of 1,746
SAP-C02 Visibility Timeout Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing 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: visibility Timeout. 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 uses AWS Lambda to process messages from an Amazon SQS queue. The Lambda function is idempotent and processes each message in about 30 seconds. The SQS queue has a visibility timeout of 60 seconds. Recently, the team notices that the same messages are being processed multiple times. Which TWO actions should the team take to prevent duplicate processing?
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
✓
Increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes.
To prevent duplicate processing, the team should increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes (option A). Since each message takes about 30 seconds to process, the default 60-second visibility timeout is too short; if processing exceeds 60 seconds, the message becomes visible again and is reprocessed. Increasing the timeout to 6 minutes (well above the 30-second processing time) ensures the message remains invisible until processing is complete. Additionally, switching to a FIFO SQS queue with content-based deduplication (option C) provides exactly-once processing semantics, eliminating duplicates regardless of visibility timeout. Option B is incorrect because reserved concurrency limits the number of concurrent Lambda executions but does not prevent duplicates from visibility timeout issues. Option D is incorrect because reducing batch size limits how many messages are polled at once but does not address the root cause of duplicate processing. Option E is incorrect because a dead-letter queue handles messages that fail repeatedly, not duplicates.
Key principle: Visibility Timeout
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes.
Why this is correct
Longer visibility timeout ensures messages are not reprocessed while being handled.
Related concept
Visibility Timeout
- ✗
Set the Lambda function's reserved concurrency to 1.
Why it's wrong here
Reserved concurrency limits execution but does not prevent duplicates from visibility timeout.
- ✓
Switch to a FIFO SQS queue and enable content-based deduplication.
Why this is correct
FIFO queues guarantee exactly-once processing.
Related concept
Visibility Timeout
- ✗
Reduce the SQS batch size to 1.
Why it's wrong here
Batch size affects how many messages Lambda receives, not duplicates.
- ✗
Configure a dead-letter queue for the SQS queue.
Why it's wrong here
DLQ captures failed messages, not duplicates.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates may mistakenly choose reducing batch size or setting reserved concurrency, thinking that limiting parallelism stops duplicates. However, duplicates here are caused by insufficient visibility timeout, not by concurrency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Visibility Timeout
- FIFO Queue
- Content-Based Deduplication
- Reserved Concurrency
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
Visibility Timeout
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
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 visibility Timeout, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Visibility Timeout.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes. — To prevent duplicate processing, the team should increase the SQS queue's visibility timeout to 6 minutes (option A). Since each message takes about 30 seconds to process, the default 60-second visibility timeout is too short; if processing exceeds 60 seconds, the message becomes visible again and is reprocessed. Increasing the timeout to 6 minutes (well above the 30-second processing time) ensures the message remains invisible until processing is complete. Additionally, switching to a FIFO SQS queue with content-based deduplication (option C) provides exactly-once processing semantics, eliminating duplicates regardless of visibility timeout. Option B is incorrect because reserved concurrency limits the number of concurrent Lambda executions but does not prevent duplicates from visibility timeout issues. Option D is incorrect because reducing batch size limits how many messages are polled at once but does not address the root cause of duplicate processing. Option E is incorrect because a dead-letter queue handles messages that fail repeatedly, not duplicates.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review visibility Timeout, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Visibility Timeout
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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