The answer is to increase the number of nodes in the cluster. In Amazon Redshift, each node contributes both compute power and a fixed amount of local storage, so adding nodes directly expands the total disk space available to the cluster. For a dc2.large cluster with three nodes, scaling out by adding more nodes is the most straightforward way to increase storage capacity without changing node types. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of Redshift’s architecture, specifically that storage is tied to node count and that resizing to a larger node type (like dc2.8xlarge) also works but is a different scaling strategy. A common trap is confusing Redshift with services like EBS, where you can modify volume types or add provisioned IOPS—Redshift does not support those options. Another pitfall is thinking S3 can be directly attached as storage, but Redshift uses S3 only for unloading or COPY operations. Remember the memory tip: “More nodes, more storage—scale out, not up, for capacity.”
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
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 data engineer notices that an Amazon Redshift cluster is running low on disk space. The cluster has three nodes of type dc2.large. Which action will increase the available storage capacity?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the number of nodes in the cluster.
Option C is correct because increasing the number of nodes adds more storage. Option A is incorrect because resizing to a larger node type with more storage also works, but the question asks for increasing storage, and that is one way; however, adding nodes is more direct for storage. Actually both A and C could work, but A is about volume type change, which is not available for Redshift. Wait, Redshift does not have provisioned IOPS. So A is invalid. Option B is incorrect because S3 is not directly attachable. Option D is incorrect because compression reduces data size but does not add capacity.
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.
✓
Increase the number of nodes in the cluster.
Why this is correct
Adding nodes increases total storage capacity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Mount an Amazon S3 bucket as a file system to store data.
Why it's wrong here
S3 cannot be mounted as a file system for Redshift; it can be used for external tables via Redshift Spectrum.
✗
Change the volume type to Provisioned IOPS SSD (io1) to increase capacity.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift uses its own storage; changing volume type is not applicable.
✗
Enable automatic compression on the tables.
Why it's wrong here
Compression reduces storage usage but does not add capacity.
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: Increase the number of nodes in the cluster. — Option C is correct because increasing the number of nodes adds more storage. Option A is incorrect because resizing to a larger node type with more storage also works, but the question asks for increasing storage, and that is one way; however, adding nodes is more direct for storage. Actually both A and C could work, but A is about volume type change, which is not available for Redshift. Wait, Redshift does not have provisioned IOPS. So A is invalid. Option B is incorrect because S3 is not directly attachable. Option D is incorrect because compression reduces data size but does not add capacity.
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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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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