- A
Increase the read capacity units for the table.
More capacity reduces throttling and latency during peaks.
- B
Enable DynamoDB global tables.
Why wrong: Global tables are for disaster recovery, not latency reduction.
- C
Add a local secondary index on the table.
Why wrong: LSI does not improve single-item reads by primary key.
- D
Disable auto-scaling and set a fixed read capacity.
Why wrong: Fixed capacity may not handle peaks, causing throttling.
- E
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for the table.
DAX provides in-memory caching, reducing read latency.
Question 1,497 of 1,786
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 company is using Amazon DynamoDB as a data store for a real-time application. The application reads a single item by primary key and occasionally updates it. The data engineer notices high read latency during peak hours. Which TWO actions would most effectively reduce read latency?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
✓
Increase the read capacity units for the table.
Option A is correct because increasing read capacity units (RCUs) for the DynamoDB table directly allocates more read throughput, reducing throttling and latency during peak hours when read demand exceeds provisioned capacity. This ensures the application can handle the higher read load without experiencing request throttling, which is a primary cause of increased latency.
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 read capacity units for the table.
Why this is correct
More capacity reduces throttling and latency during peaks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable DynamoDB global tables.
Why it's wrong here
Global tables are for disaster recovery, not latency reduction.
- ✗
Add a local secondary index on the table.
Why it's wrong here
LSI does not improve single-item reads by primary key.
- ✗
Disable auto-scaling and set a fixed read capacity.
Why it's wrong here
Fixed capacity may not handle peaks, causing throttling.
- ✓
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for the table.
Why this is correct
DAX provides in-memory caching, reducing read latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
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 confuse global tables or secondary indexes as solutions for read latency, when in fact they address different concerns (disaster recovery and query flexibility), while the correct approach is to either increase provisioned throughput or implement a caching layer like DAX.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB read latency can increase due to throttling when consumed RCUs exceed provisioned RCUs, or due to hot partitions where a single partition's throughput is exhausted. Increasing RCUs at the table level distributes capacity across all partitions, but for hot partitions, using DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) provides an in-memory cache that bypasses the storage engine entirely, reducing read latency from single-digit milliseconds to microseconds for frequently accessed items. DAX is especially effective for read-heavy workloads with repeated access to the same items, as it caches the result of GetItem and Query operations.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: Increase the read capacity units for the table. — Option A is correct because increasing read capacity units (RCUs) for the DynamoDB table directly allocates more read throughput, reducing throttling and latency during peak hours when read demand exceeds provisioned capacity. This ensures the application can handle the higher read load without experiencing request throttling, which is a primary cause of increased latency.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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