DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 designing a database for an IoT application that ingests millions of sensor readings per second. Each reading is a small JSON document (less than 1 KB) and must be stored with low latency. Queries are primarily by device ID and timestamp range. The team expects to rarely update or delete old data. Which AWS database solution is MOST cost-effective and performant?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon DynamoDB with a composite primary key (device_id, timestamp)
Amazon DynamoDB is a NoSQL key-value and document database that provides single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. It is ideal for high-throughput ingestion of small items with simple access patterns (device ID + timestamp). Option A is wrong because Amazon RDS for MySQL is relational and would require scaling a single master, leading to bottlenecks. Option C is wrong because Amazon Redshift is a data warehouse optimized for analytics, not real-time ingestion. Option D is wrong because Amazon S3 is an object store with higher latency for individual small writes.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Amazon S3 with a partition prefix of device_id/timestamp/
Why it's wrong here
S3 has eventual consistency and higher latency per PUT; not ideal for high-rate small writes.
✗
Amazon Redshift with distribution key on device_id
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is built for analytical queries on large datasets, not for real-time point writes.
✓
Amazon DynamoDB with a composite primary key (device_id, timestamp)
Why this is correct
DynamoDB provides low-latency, high-throughput ingestion and efficient querying by device and time.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with multiple read replicas
Why it's wrong here
RDS is relational and not optimized for high-velocity ingestion of small documents; scaling is limited.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon DynamoDB with a composite primary key (device_id, timestamp) — Amazon DynamoDB is a NoSQL key-value and document database that provides single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. It is ideal for high-throughput ingestion of small items with simple access patterns (device ID + timestamp). Option A is wrong because Amazon RDS for MySQL is relational and would require scaling a single master, leading to bottlenecks. Option C is wrong because Amazon Redshift is a data warehouse optimized for analytics, not real-time ingestion. Option D is wrong because Amazon S3 is an object store with higher latency for individual small writes.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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