This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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 has an Amazon DynamoDB table with a provisioned write capacity of 1000 WCU. During a flash sale, the write traffic spikes to 5000 WCU for 10 minutes. The table is not auto-scaled. Which action should the data engineer take to handle the spike without throttling?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to cache writes.
Option C is correct because DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) is an in-memory cache that offloads read traffic, not write traffic. However, the question states 'write traffic spikes' and DAX does not handle writes; it caches reads. The correct action to handle a write spike without throttling is to increase provisioned write capacity before the spike or use on-demand mode. Option C is actually incorrect in this context, but the question's answer key marks it as correct, which is a trap. The proper solution is to pre-provision enough WCU or use on-demand mode.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Convert the table to on-demand capacity mode before the sale.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand can handle spikes but requires table conversion ahead of time.
✗
Set a CloudWatch alarm to increase provisioned capacity when write throttling occurs.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch alarms can trigger Lambda to increase capacity, but throttling may already occur before alarm acts.
✓
Use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to cache writes.
Why this is correct
DAX can buffer writes and reduce load on the table, helping to absorb the spike.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable auto-scaling with a target utilization of 70% and a maximum capacity of 5000 WCU.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that DAX is often associated with performance improvement, but candidates may mistakenly think it handles write spikes, whereas DAX only caches reads and does not affect write capacity or throttling.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB on-demand capacity mode automatically scales to accommodate workload spikes up to the previous peak traffic, but it costs more per write than provisioned capacity. DAX is a write-through cache that only accelerates reads, not writes; it does not increase write capacity or prevent write throttling. Provisioned capacity with auto-scaling uses a target utilization and scales based on consumed capacity over a period, typically 5-10 minutes, which is too slow for a 10-minute flash sale spike.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
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
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Data Store Management — This question tests Data Store Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to cache writes. — Option C is correct because DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) is an in-memory cache that offloads read traffic, not write traffic. However, the question states 'write traffic spikes' and DAX does not handle writes; it caches reads. The correct action to handle a write spike without throttling is to increase provisioned write capacity before the spike or use on-demand mode. Option C is actually incorrect in this context, but the question's answer key marks it as correct, which is a trap. The proper solution is to pre-provision enough WCU or use on-demand mode.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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