- A
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with Time Series module.
Why wrong: ElastiCache is a cache, not a primary database for long-term storage.
- B
Amazon Timestream for both real-time and historical queries.
Timestream is optimized for time-series data and provides fast recent data queries and historical analysis.
- C
Amazon DynamoDB with TTL and export to S3 for historical analysis.
DynamoDB handles high write throughput; TTL exports to S3 for analysis via Athena.
- D
Amazon Redshift for real-time queries and historical analysis.
Why wrong: Redshift is not designed for sub-second real-time queries on high-velocity writes.
- E
Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB) for immutable time-series records.
Why wrong: QLDB is for ledger databases, not optimized for high-velocity time-series.
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 selecting a database for a time-series application that collects sensor data from thousands of devices. The data is written at a high velocity (millions of data points per second). The application needs to query recent data (last hour) with sub-second latency and perform long-term analysis on months of data. Which TWO AWS database services best meet these requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Amazon Timestream for both real-time and historical queries.
Option A (Timestream) is built for time-series data with fast queries. Option D (DynamoDB with TTL) can handle high write throughput and automatically expire old data to S3 for analysis. Option B is wrong because Redshift is not designed for sub-second real-time queries. Option C is wrong because ElastiCache is primarily a cache. Option E is wrong because QLDB is for ledger data.
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.
- ✗
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with Time Series module.
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache is a cache, not a primary database for long-term storage.
- ✓
Amazon Timestream for both real-time and historical queries.
Why this is correct
Timestream is optimized for time-series data and provides fast recent data queries and historical analysis.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB with TTL and export to S3 for historical analysis.
Why this is correct
DynamoDB handles high write throughput; TTL exports to S3 for analysis via Athena.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift for real-time queries and historical analysis.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is not designed for sub-second real-time queries on high-velocity writes.
- ✗
Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB) for immutable time-series records.
Why it's wrong here
QLDB is for ledger databases, not optimized for high-velocity time-series.
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 DBS-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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon Timestream for both real-time and historical queries. — Option A (Timestream) is built for time-series data with fast queries. Option D (DynamoDB with TTL) can handle high write throughput and automatically expire old data to S3 for analysis. Option B is wrong because Redshift is not designed for sub-second real-time queries. Option C is wrong because ElastiCache is primarily a cache. Option E is wrong because QLDB is for ledger data.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DBS-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 DBS-C01 exam.
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