The answer is to create an external schema and external table in the AWS Glue Data Catalog. This is required because Redshift Spectrum does not query data stored within Redshift itself; instead, it acts as a SQL federation layer that reads files directly from Amazon S3 by referencing metadata stored in an external catalog. The external schema defines the database namespace and points to the Glue Data Catalog, while the external table defines the Parquet file structure and partition scheme, allowing Spectrum to push down predicate filtering on the date partitions for efficient querying. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of the separation between storage and compute in the Redshift architecture—a common trap is assuming you must first load the S3 data into Redshift tables or provision a separate Spectrum cluster, but Spectrum leverages the existing Redshift cluster’s compute resources. Remember the mnemonic: “Spectrum scans S3, Glue defines the key.”
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 wants to use Amazon Redshift Spectrum to query data in Amazon S3. The data is in Parquet format and partitioned by date. Which step is required to enable Redshift Spectrum?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an external schema and external table in the AWS Glue Data Catalog.
Option A is correct because Redshift Spectrum requires an external schema and table defined in the AWS Glue Data Catalog or an external Hive metastore. Option B is wrong because the data is already in S3. Option C is wrong because loading data into Redshift is not required for Spectrum. Option D is wrong because Spectrum does not require a separate cluster.
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.
✗
Load the data into Redshift tables using the COPY command.
Why it's wrong here
This is for native tables, not Spectrum.
✓
Create an external schema and external table in the AWS Glue Data Catalog.
Why this is correct
Redshift Spectrum uses the Glue Data Catalog to query data in S3.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a separate Redshift Spectrum cluster.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift Spectrum runs on the existing Redshift cluster.
✗
Copy the data from S3 to Redshift-managed storage.
Why it's wrong here
Spectrum queries data directly in S3 without copying.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 an external schema and external table in the AWS Glue Data Catalog. — Option A is correct because Redshift Spectrum requires an external schema and table defined in the AWS Glue Data Catalog or an external Hive metastore. Option B is wrong because the data is already in S3. Option C is wrong because loading data into Redshift is not required for Spectrum. Option D is wrong because Spectrum does not require a separate cluster.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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