The correct answer is that EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices in a round-robin fashion, and ALL distribution copies the entire table to every node. EVEN distribution works by assigning rows to slices in a sequential, round-robin manner, ensuring each slice gets roughly the same number of rows, which minimizes data movement during parallel processing. ALL distribution, by contrast, places a full copy of the table on every node, dramatically speeding up joins with small tables at the cost of increased storage. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between the four Redshift distribution styles—EVEN, KEY, ALL, and AUTO—and a common trap is confusing EVEN with a true ROUND ROBIN style (which Redshift does not offer) or assuming KEY distribution always avoids skew. For a quick memory tip, remember that EVEN is for even load, KEY is for co-located joins but risks skew, ALL is for small lookup tables, and AUTO lets Redshift decide.
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 TWO statements are true about Amazon Redshift distribution styles? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ALL distribution copies the entire table to every node.
Option A is correct: EVEN distribution distributes rows evenly, reducing data movement. Option D is correct: ALL distribution copies entire table to every node, which can improve join performance but uses more storage. Option B is wrong because KEY distribution can cause skew. Option C is wrong because AUTO distribution lets Redshift choose. Option E is wrong because Redshift does not use ROUND ROBIN; it uses EVEN, KEY, ALL, AUTO.
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.
✗
KEY distribution is always the best choice to minimize data skew.
Why it's wrong here
KEY distribution can cause skew if the key column has few distinct values.
✗
AUTO distribution always selects EVEN distribution.
Why it's wrong here
AUTO distribution can select EVEN, KEY, or ALL based on table size and operations.
✓
ALL distribution copies the entire table to every node.
Why this is correct
ALL distribution is useful for small tables that are frequently joined.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Redshift automatically assigns a ROUND ROBIN distribution style by default.
Why it's wrong here
Default distribution style is AUTO, not ROUND ROBIN.
✓
EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices in a round-robin fashion.
Why this is correct
EVEN distributes rows evenly, which reduces data redistribution during joins.
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 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: ALL distribution copies the entire table to every node. — Option A is correct: EVEN distribution distributes rows evenly, reducing data movement. Option D is correct: ALL distribution copies entire table to every node, which can improve join performance but uses more storage. Option B is wrong because KEY distribution can cause skew. Option C is wrong because AUTO distribution lets Redshift choose. Option E is wrong because Redshift does not use ROUND ROBIN; it uses EVEN, KEY, ALL, AUTO.
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.
About these practice questions
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 →
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 about Amazon Redshift data distribution are correct? (Choose two.)
easy
A.DISTSTYLE is a distribution style option
B.AUTO distribution always chooses EVEN
✓ C.KEY distribution places rows with the same distribution key on the same slice
✓ D.EVEN distribution distributes rows across slices evenly
E.ALL distribution distributes data across all slices
Why C: 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.
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: Option B is correct because DISTSTYLE EVEN distributes rows evenly across nodes, which is beneficial when there is no clear join or aggregation key. Option A is incorrect because it does not optimize for joins on user_id. Option C is incorrect because EVEN distribution does not minimize data movement for joins. Option D is incorrect because EVEN distribution distributes data, not co-locates.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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