DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
Your organization uses Amazon Redshift for analytical workloads. You have noticed that queries are slow on a large fact table. The table is distributed by KEY on the customer_id column and sorted by transaction_date. The table is frequently updated with new records. To improve query performance, you decide to implement a distribution style that reduces data movement. Which action should you take?
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
✓
Change the distribution style to EVEN to distribute rows evenly across all nodes.
Changing to EVEN distribution distributes rows evenly across all nodes, reducing data movement during queries that do not benefit from the current KEY distribution on customer_id. This is especially useful for large, frequently updated tables where data skew or redistribution can cause performance issues. Option A (ALL) is wrong because it duplicates the entire table on every node, which is inefficient for large tables. Option B (AUTO) is wrong because it may not choose the optimal distribution style for this workload. Option D (adding a sort key) improves sort performance but does not directly reduce data movement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Change the distribution style to ALL to put a copy of the table on every node.
Why it's wrong here
ALL distribution duplicates the entire table on every node, which increases storage and maintenance overhead, and is not suitable for large fact tables.
- ✗
Change the distribution style to AUTO to let Redshift choose the best distribution.
Why it's wrong here
AUTO distribution lets Redshift decide, but it may choose KEY or ALL, which might not be optimal for reducing data movement in this scenario.
- ✓
Change the distribution style to EVEN to distribute rows evenly across all nodes.
Why this is correct
EVEN distribution distributes rows evenly across all nodes, minimizing data movement during queries and loads, making it ideal for large, frequently updated tables.
- ✗
Change the sort key to include customer_id as well.
Why it's wrong here
Adding customer_id to the sort key does not reduce data movement; it only improves sort performance for queries filtering on that column.
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