- A
Change the sort key to store version in descending order.
Why wrong: Changing sort key order does not reduce read capacity consumption.
- B
Enable DynamoDB Streams and use a read replica.
Why wrong: DynamoDB does not have read replicas; streams are for change data capture.
- C
Decrease the ReadCapacityUnits of the table to force caching.
Why wrong: Decreasing capacity would cause throttling, not caching.
- D
Create a global secondary index (GSI) and use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX).
A GSI can support efficient queries, and DAX caches results, reducing read capacity.
Question 1,331 of 1,786
DynamoDB Read Optimization: Using GSI and DAX
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses Amazon DynamoDB to store metadata for a document management system. The table has a partition key of document_id and a sort key of version. The application frequently queries for the latest version of a document by document_id. The data engineer notices that these queries are consuming a lot of read capacity. How can the engineer optimize the read performance and reduce read capacity consumption?
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
✓
Create a global secondary index (GSI) and use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX).
Option D is correct because creating a Global Secondary Index (GSI) with document_id as the partition key and version as the sort key, combined with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX), allows the application to query the latest version efficiently. The GSI can be configured to project only the necessary attributes, reducing read capacity consumption, while DAX provides an in-memory cache that offloads repeated read requests from the DynamoDB table, significantly lowering read capacity units (RCUs) consumed.
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.
- ✗
Change the sort key to store version in descending order.
Why it's wrong here
Changing sort key order does not reduce read capacity consumption.
- ✗
Enable DynamoDB Streams and use a read replica.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB does not have read replicas; streams are for change data capture.
- ✗
Decrease the ReadCapacityUnits of the table to force caching.
Why it's wrong here
Decreasing capacity would cause throttling, not caching.
- ✓
Create a global secondary index (GSI) and use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX).
Why this is correct
A GSI can support efficient queries, and DAX caches results, reducing read capacity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think changing sort key order (Option A) reduces read capacity, but DynamoDB charges RCUs based on item size and read consistency, not sort order; the real optimization lies in indexing and caching strategies like GSI and DAX.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, DynamoDB charges RCUs based on the size of items read (4 KB per RCU for eventually consistent reads, 8 KB per RCU for strongly consistent reads). By using a GSI with a sparse index that only includes the latest version (e.g., via a write-time attribute like is_latest), you can reduce the number of items scanned per query. DAX acts as a write-through cache, storing frequently accessed items in memory, which can reduce read latency from single-digit milliseconds to microseconds and offload up to 90% of read traffic from the base table, directly cutting RCU consumption.
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
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
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Data Store Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: Create a global secondary index (GSI) and use DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX). — Option D is correct because creating a Global Secondary Index (GSI) with document_id as the partition key and version as the sort key, combined with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX), allows the application to query the latest version efficiently. The GSI can be configured to project only the necessary attributes, reducing read capacity consumption, while DAX provides an in-memory cache that offloads repeated read requests from the DynamoDB table, significantly lowering read capacity units (RCUs) consumed.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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