What aspect of AWS Systems Manager makes it suitable for secret management in Lambda functions?

AWS Systems Manager is particularly well-suited for secret management in Lambda functions because it provides a secure method for storing and retrieving sensitive information, such as API keys, database credentials, and other confidential data. This capability is crucial in maintaining the security of applications and protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.

By securely storing secrets, Systems Manager helps prevent hardcoding sensitive information directly within the application code, which can be a vulnerability. The service allows for secure retrieval of these secrets at runtime, ensuring that Lambda functions can access necessary credentials without compromising security. Moreover, Systems Manager integrates well with other AWS services, enhancing the overall security posture of the serverless applications hosted on AWS.

The other options focus on areas that do not pertain to secret management. Automating database management and analyzing log files are functionalities that relate to operational efficiency and monitoring rather than the secure handling of sensitive data. Version control for code pertains to managing source code rather than sensitive information. Thus, the focus of Systems Manager on securely storing and retrieving secrets directly supports the needs of Lambda function developers for effective, secure secret management.