AWS Lambda FAQ - Part 1

Ava is a software developer who wants to deploy her application without worrying about server management. She discovers AWS Lambda, which allows her to run code without provisioning or managing servers. She learns that she only pays for the compute time she consumes, and there is no charge when her code is not running. With Lambda, she can run code for virtually any type of application or backend service - all with zero administration. She can simply upload her code, and Lambda takes care of everything required to run and scale her code with high availability. Ava can set up her code to automatically trigger from other AWS services or call it directly from any web or mobile app.

• AWS Lambda lets you run code without provisioning or managing servers. You pay only for the compute time you consume - there is no charge when your code is not running. With Lambda, you can run code for virtually any type of application or backend service - all with zero administration. Just upload your code, and Lambda takes care of everything required to run and scale your code with high availability. You can set up your code to automatically trigger from other AWS services or call it directly from any web or mobile app.

• AWS Lambda is a cloud-based storage service for archiving large datasets and backups.

• AWS Lambda is a virtual machine service that allows you to run Windows and Linux servers in the cloud.

• AWS Lambda is a database management system for handling relational data in AWS.

Answer explanation

The correct choice accurately describes AWS Lambda as a serverless computing service that allows you to run code without managing servers, charging only for the compute time used, and enabling automatic triggers from other AWS services.

What is serverless computing?

• Serverless computing allows you to build and run applications and services without thinking about servers. With serverless computing, your application still runs on servers, but all the server management is done by AWS. At the core of serverless computing is AWS Lambda, which lets you run your code without provisioning or managing servers.

• Serverless computing means there are no servers involved in running your applications, and all code is executed on user devices.

• Serverless computing is a type of cloud computing where you must manually manage and provision all servers for your application.

• Serverless computing refers to running applications only on physical servers located on-premises, without any cloud involvement.

Answer explanation

The correct choice accurately describes serverless computing as a model where applications run without server management by the user, with AWS handling the servers, primarily through AWS Lambda.

What events can trigger an AWS Lambda function?

• Please see our documentation for a complete list of event sources.

• Only HTTP requests can trigger Lambda functions.

• Lambda functions can only be triggered manually from the AWS Console.

• Lambda functions are only triggered by scheduled events.

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda functions can be triggered by various event sources, including HTTP requests, S3 uploads, DynamoDB updates, and more. For a complete list, refer to the AWS documentation.

Harper is planning to migrate her company's applications to the cloud and is considering whether to use AWS Lambda or Amazon EC2. She needs to understand the differences between these two services to make an informed decision.

• Amazon Web Services offers a set of compute services to meet a range of needs. Amazon EC2 offers flexibility, with a wide range of instance types and the option to customize the operating system, network and security settings, and the entire software stack, allowing you to easily move existing applications to the cloud. With Amazon EC2 you are responsible for provisioning capacity, monitoring fleet health and performance, and designing for fault tolerance and scalability. AWS Elastic Beanstalk offers an easy-to-use service for deploying and scaling web applications in which you retain ownership and full control over the underlying EC2 instances. Amazon EC2 Container Service is a scalable management service that supports Docker containers and allows you to easily run distributed applications on a managed cluster of Amazon EC2 instances. AWS Lambda makes it easy to execute code in response to events, such as changes to Amazon S3 buckets, updates to an Amazon DynamoDB table, or custom events generated by your applications or devices. With Lambda, you do not have to provision your own servers.

• AWS Lambda is best used for running persistent applications that require manual server management and direct access to the underlying hardware.

• Amazon EC2 is ideal for event-driven architectures where you do not want to manage any servers or infrastructure.

• AWS Lambda is designed for hosting large-scale databases that require continuous uptime and manual scaling.

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda is ideal for event-driven applications where you don't manage servers, while Amazon EC2 provides flexibility and control for applications needing manual server management and customization.

Evelyn is exploring the capabilities of AWS Lambda for her new project. She wants to know what type of code she can run on AWS Lambda.

• Any code written in supported languages

• Only Java code

• Only Python code

• Only compiled binaries

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda supports multiple programming languages, allowing developers to run any code written in those supported languages, not just Java, Python, or compiled binaries. Therefore, the correct answer is 'Any code written in supported languages'.

Aiden is exploring different programming languages to use for his new project on AWS Lambda. He wants to know which languages are supported by AWS Lambda from the following options:

• Python, Node.js, Java, C#

• Ruby, COBOL, Fortran, Pascal

• Swift, Kotlin, Perl, Lisp

• Delphi, Visual Basic, Assembly, Prolog

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda supports Python, Node.js, Java, and C#. These languages are commonly used for serverless applications, while the other options listed are not supported by AWS Lambda.

Benjamin is considering using AWS Lambda for his new project. He wonders if he can access the infrastructure that AWS Lambda runs on.

• No, you cannot access the infrastructure.

• Yes, full access is provided.

• Only during certain hours.

• Access is granted upon request.

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda operates on a managed infrastructure, and users do not have direct access to it. Therefore, the correct answer is that you cannot access the infrastructure.

Abigail is developing a serverless application using AWS Lambda. She wants to ensure that her code is secure and does not interfere with other functions. She wonders how AWS Lambda isolates her code.

• Running each function in its own isolated environment

• Allowing all functions to share the same environment

• Running all code on a single server

• Using only software-based isolation without any hardware separation

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda isolates code by running each function in its own isolated environment, ensuring that functions do not interfere with each other and providing security and resource management.

Samuel is developing a serverless application using AWS Lambda. He wants to ensure that his code is secure. AWS Lambda secures his code by:

• Encrypting code at rest and in transit

• Allowing public access to code by default

• Storing code in plaintext on servers

• Disabling all security features

Answer explanation

AWS Lambda secures your code by encrypting it both at rest and in transit, ensuring that your code is protected from unauthorized access. The other options do not provide security.

In a modern tech company, Mia is tasked with implementing a solution that automatically runs code in response to various events, such as file uploads or API calls. She decides to use AWS Lambda for this purpose. What is AWS Lambda?

• A serverless compute service that runs code in response to events.

• A database management service for storing large datasets.

• A tool for monitoring network traffic in AWS.

• A service for managing user authentication in AWS.

Answer explanation

An AWS Lambda function is a serverless compute service that executes code in response to events, making it ideal for event-driven applications. The other options describe different AWS services.