The answer is to run the VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on the tables. VACUUM reclaims disk space from deleted or updated rows, reducing the storage footprint and improving scan efficiency, while ANALYZE updates the table statistics that the Redshift query optimizer uses to generate efficient execution plans. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that performance degradation with high disk usage often points to data bloat and stale statistics, not necessarily a need for more nodes. A common trap is to jump to changing distribution keys or compression encodings, but those are structural changes requiring table recreation and are not the first step. Remember the memory tip: when Redshift is bloated and slow, VACUUM and ANALYZE are the first things you should know.
DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. 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 team uses Amazon Redshift for analytics. They notice that some queries are slow and the system shows high disk usage. The team wants to improve query performance without adding more nodes. Which action should they take first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Run the VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on the tables.
Option B is correct because VACUUM and ANALYZE reclaim space and update statistics, which can significantly improve query performance. Option A is wrong because distribution key changes require table recreation. Option C is wrong because WLM queues affect concurrency, not disk usage. Option D is wrong because compression encoding is set at table creation.
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.
✓
Run the VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on the tables.
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable compression on all columns.
Why it's wrong here
Compression is set at table creation; altering is complex.
✗
Redistribute the tables by changing the distribution key to a column with high cardinality.
Why it's wrong here
Changing distribution keys requires table recreation.
✗
Modify the workload management (WLM) queue to increase concurrency.
Why it's wrong here
WLM affects concurrency, not disk usage.
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 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 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 Operations and Support — This question tests Data Operations and Support — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run the VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on the tables. — Option B is correct because VACUUM and ANALYZE reclaim space and update statistics, which can significantly improve query performance. Option A is wrong because distribution key changes require table recreation. Option C is wrong because WLM queues affect concurrency, not disk usage. Option D is wrong because compression encoding is set at table creation.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This DEA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DEA-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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