Monitor DynamoDB Global Tables Replication Lag with the ReplicationLatency CloudWatch Metric
A company is using Amazon DynamoDB with global tables. The application team reports that data written in one region is not immediately available in another region. The database specialist needs to monitor the replication lag. Which CloudWatch metric should be used?
Quick Answer
The correct answer is the ReplicationLatency metric in the replica region. This CloudWatch metric directly measures the elapsed time, in milliseconds, between when an update is committed in the source table and when it is fully applied in the replica table, making it the precise tool for monitoring DynamoDB global tables replication lag. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between metrics that measure time versus those that measure volume or capacity; a common trap is choosing PendingReplicationCount, which shows the number of unprocessed items but not the actual delay in seconds. Remember that latency is always about time, not count—think “lag equals lag time,” so ReplicationLatency is your go-to for verifying how quickly data travels across regions.
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
✓
Monitor the 'ReplicationLatency' metric in the replica region.
'ReplicationLatency' is the CloudWatch metric that measures the time between an update to a DynamoDB global table in the source region and its appearance in the replica region. Option A is wrong because 'ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits' measures the amount of write capacity consumed, not replication lag. Option B is wrong because 'PendingReplicationCount' shows the number of items waiting to be replicated, not the time delay. Option C is wrong because 'ThrottledRequests' indicates that requests are being throttled, which is unrelated to replication lag.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Monitor the 'ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits' metric in both regions.
Why it's wrong here
This metric measures consumed write capacity, not replication lag.
- ✗
Monitor the 'PendingReplicationCount' metric in the source region.
Why it's wrong here
This metric shows the count of pending items, not the time delay.
- ✗
Monitor the 'ThrottledRequests' metric in the source region.
Why it's wrong here
This metric indicates throttled requests, unrelated to replication lag.
- ✓
Monitor the 'ReplicationLatency' metric in the replica region.
Why this is correct
This metric directly measures the replication lag between regions.
Go deeper
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on DBS-C01
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. A company is using Amazon DynamoDB with global tables. The application is experiencing high write latency in one region. Which THREE factors could contribute to this issue? (Choose three.)
hard- ✓ A.Replication lag from global tables causing write conflicts.
- B.Insufficient read capacity units provisioned for the table.
- ✓ C.High network latency between the application and the DynamoDB endpoint.
- D.The table's auto scaling configuration is set to increase write capacity too aggressively.
- ✓ E.Insufficient write capacity units provisioned for the table.
Why A: Replication lag in global tables can lead to write conflicts and increased latency. Option C is correct because high network latency between the application and the DynamoDB endpoint directly impacts write latency. Option E is correct because insufficient write capacity units provisioned can cause throttling, resulting in higher write latency. Option B is incorrect because read capacity units do not affect write throughput. Option D is incorrect because aggressive auto scaling increases capacity, which would reduce latency, not increase it.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.