- A
DISTSTYLE is a distribution style option
Why wrong: DISTSTYLE is a property, not a style.
- B
AUTO distribution always chooses EVEN
Why wrong: AUTO lets Redshift choose based on table size.
- C
KEY distribution places rows with the same distribution key on the same slice
KEY distribution colocates data by key.
- D
EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices evenly
EVEN distributes rows round-robin.
- E
ALL distribution distributes data across all slices
Why wrong: ALL distributes a full copy of the table to every node.
Question 1,537 of 1,786
Amazon Redshift Distribution Styles: KEY, EVEN, and ALL Explained
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.
Which TWO statements about Amazon Redshift data distribution are correct? (Choose two.)
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
✓
KEY distribution places rows with the same distribution key on the same slice
Option C is correct because in Amazon Redshift, KEY distribution places all rows with the same distribution key value on the same slice (compute node segment). This ensures that join operations on the distribution key are collocated, reducing data movement across the network and improving query performance.
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.
- ✗
DISTSTYLE is a distribution style option
Why it's wrong here
DISTSTYLE is a property, not a style.
- ✗
AUTO distribution always chooses EVEN
Why it's wrong here
AUTO lets Redshift choose based on table size.
- ✓
KEY distribution places rows with the same distribution key on the same slice
Why this is correct
KEY distribution colocates data by key.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices evenly
Why this is correct
EVEN distributes rows round-robin.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
ALL distribution distributes data across all slices
Why it's wrong here
ALL distributes a full copy of the table to every node.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing distribution styles with distribution options (e.g., DISTSTYLE is a parameter, not a style) and misunderstanding that ALL distribution replicates the entire table to every node, not slices, while AUTO dynamically selects the best style rather than defaulting to EVEN.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Redshift distributes data across slices (each slice is a portion of a node's CPU and memory). With KEY distribution, rows are hashed based on the distribution key column, and the hash determines the slice. This collocation is critical for large fact tables joined on the same key, as it avoids expensive redistribution during query execution. In contrast, EVEN distribution uses a round-robin approach to spread rows evenly, which is useful when no clear join key exists but can lead to data movement for joins.
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
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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: KEY distribution places rows with the same distribution key on the same slice — Option C is correct because in Amazon Redshift, KEY distribution places all rows with the same distribution key value on the same slice (compute node segment). This ensures that join operations on the distribution key are collocated, reducing data movement across the network and improving query performance.
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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Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on DEA-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO statements are true about Amazon Redshift distribution styles? (Choose TWO.)
medium- A.KEY distribution is always the best choice to minimize data skew.
- B.AUTO distribution always selects EVEN distribution.
- ✓ C.ALL distribution copies the entire table to every node.
- D.Redshift automatically assigns a ROUND ROBIN distribution style by default.
- ✓ E.EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices in a round-robin fashion.
Why C: Option C is correct because the ALL distribution style in Amazon Redshift copies the entire table to every node in the cluster. This is ideal for small, slowly changing dimension tables (like date or location tables) that need to be joined with large fact tables, as it eliminates the need to redistribute data across nodes during query execution.
Variation 2. A data engineer runs the above SQL commands on an Amazon Redshift cluster. The table 'users' is created with DISTSTYLE EVEN. What is the effect of the DISTSTYLE EVEN on query performance?
easy- A.It stores all data on a single node for fast local queries.
- ✓ B.It ensures data is evenly distributed across all nodes to prevent data skew.
- C.It reduces data movement during queries by co-locating data based on user_id.
- D.It improves join performance when joining on user_id.
Why B: DISTSTYLE EVEN in Amazon Redshift distributes rows across all nodes in a round-robin fashion, ensuring each node holds approximately the same amount of data. This prevents data skew, which can cause some nodes to become bottlenecks, and improves overall query performance for workloads that do not benefit from key-based distribution. It is the correct choice because it directly addresses the goal of balanced data distribution.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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