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Lambda function limitations

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AWS Lambda comes with certain limitations for function execution, such as memory, execution duration (by default up to 15 minutes), function environment variables (limited storage), disk space (including libraries and dependencies), and concurrent invocation limits (by default 1000 per region). These restrictions must be considered while designing and developing your application for effective and efficient use of AWS Lambda. Function limitations can be configured to some extent, but understanding these constraints is essential to ensure the smooth functioning of your application on this platform.

AWS Lambda Function Limitations: A Comprehensive Guide

Lambda function limitations: Knowledge of this is important as it helps you understand what AWS Lambda cannot do, therefore influencing decision making when designing architectural solutions using AWS services.

What are Lambda Function Limitations?
AWS Lambda is a compute service that allows you to run code without managing servers. However, it comes with certain limitations, such as the maximum execution time, deployment package size, disk capacity (/tmp) per execution environment, etc.

How it Works?
When you run your application in AWS Lambda, it runs within certain configured limits. The service automatically scales the application in response to the incoming request traffic, however, within the set limits.

Answering Questions Regarding Lambda Function Limitations in an Exam:
To successfully answer the questions, focus on understanding the problem statement and the function's requirements. Identify if there are limitations such as 'execution time limit of 15 minutes' or 'concurrency limit of 1000' that might affect the solution's feasibility.

Exam Tips:
Remember the key limits of AWS Lambda - Execution time: maximum of 15 minutes, Memory allocation: 128 MB to 10,240 MB, /tmp directory storage: 512 MB, Deployment package (unzipped): 250 MB, Deployment package (zipped, including layers): 50 MB, Concurrency: 1,000 (can be increased upon request).

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AWS Certified Solutions Architect - AWS Lambda Example Questions

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Question 1

A developer is building an e-commerce application that processes large data files from a retail store. Lambda is used for processing. Occasionally, the processing takes more than 15 minutes. What solution should be implemented to overcome this issue?

Correct Answer: Split data files and process them using multiple Lambda functions concurrently

The correct answer is to split data files and process them using multiple Lambda functions concurrently. This is because the maximum timeout for a Lambda function is 15 minutes. Increasing the Lambda function's timeout, memory allocation, or concurrency limit would not resolve the issue. Changing the invocation type would not affect processing time. Using an EC2 instance might work but would not meet the requirement of utilizing Lambda functions.

Question 2

An application using Lambda functions to process API requests is running into issues handling regional disaster scenarios. What should be done to improve the robustness of the system?

Correct Answer: Deploy the Lambda functions in multiple AWS Regions

The correct solution to handle regional disaster scenarios is to deploy the Lambda functions in multiple AWS Regions. This allows for higher reliability and redundancy in case of a region-wide outage. Increasing the timeout, memory allocation, concurrency limit, or package size would not address the issue, and changing the invocation type would not affect regional disaster scenarios.

Question 3

A photo-sharing application that uses Lambda functions to create thumbnails has been experiencing increased load. Users are reporting slow creation of thumbnails. What should be done to address this issue?

Correct Answer: Increase the memory allocation of the Lambda function

To address the issue of slow thumbnail creation, increasing the memory allocation of the Lambda function would also proportionally increase the function's CPU power and network bandwidth, resulting in faster processing times. The other options would not improve the performance and might worsen the user experience.

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