The correct answers are A, D, and E: using DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for in-memory caching, increasing read capacity units (RCU) for the table, and using parallel scans. DAX offloads read-heavy workloads from the main table by caching frequently accessed items, drastically reducing response times from single-digit milliseconds to microseconds. Increasing RCU allocates more throughput for read operations, directly improving performance under high demand, while parallel scans divide a full table scan into segments processed concurrently, speeding up data retrieval for large datasets. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of read optimization trade-offs—a common trap is confusing strongly consistent reads (which are slower) with eventually consistent reads (which double throughput). Remember the mnemonic “DIP” for DAX, Increase RCU, and Parallel scans to quickly recall the three performance boosters.
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.
Which THREE actions can help improve read performance in Amazon DynamoDB? (Choose THREE.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use parallel scans to distribute read load across partitions.
Option A is correct: DAX provides in-memory caching for reads. Option C is correct: Using strongly consistent reads can improve performance for read-after-write scenarios, but eventually consistent reads are faster; however, the question asks for actions that help read performance; both consistent read types are supported; but note: strongly consistent reads may have higher latency. Actually, to improve performance, eventually consistent reads are faster. Wait, the question says 'help improve read performance' – using eventually consistent reads is better. But option C says 'Use strongly consistent reads' which is incorrect for performance. Let me re-evaluate. I think correct answers are A, D, E. Option B is wrong because global tables replicate writes, not improve read performance. Option C is wrong because strongly consistent reads are slower. Option D is correct: adjusting read capacity units improves performance. Option E is correct: using parallel scans improves performance. So I will mark A, D, E as correct. But the stem says 'Choose THREE', so I need exactly three. Let me set correct flags accordingly.
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.
✗
Use DynamoDB global tables to replicate data.
Why it's wrong here
Global tables improve write availability and disaster recovery, not read performance.
✓
Use parallel scans to distribute read load across partitions.
Why this is correct
Parallel scans can improve scan performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use strongly consistent reads for all queries.
Why it's wrong here
Strongly consistent reads are slower than eventually consistent reads.
✓
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to cache reads.
Why this is correct
DAX reduces read latency by caching.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) for the table.
Why this is correct
More RCUs allow more read throughput.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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: Use parallel scans to distribute read load across partitions. — Option A is correct: DAX provides in-memory caching for reads. Option C is correct: Using strongly consistent reads can improve performance for read-after-write scenarios, but eventually consistent reads are faster; however, the question asks for actions that help read performance; both consistent read types are supported; but note: strongly consistent reads may have higher latency. Actually, to improve performance, eventually consistent reads are faster. Wait, the question says 'help improve read performance' – using eventually consistent reads is better. But option C says 'Use strongly consistent reads' which is incorrect for performance. Let me re-evaluate. I think correct answers are A, D, E. Option B is wrong because global tables replicate writes, not improve read performance. Option C is wrong because strongly consistent reads are slower. Option D is correct: adjusting read capacity units improves performance. Option E is correct: using parallel scans improves performance. So I will mark A, D, E as correct. But the stem says 'Choose THREE', so I need exactly three. Let me set correct flags accordingly.
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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