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.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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.
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?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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.
Option B is correct because 'ReplicationLatency' measures the time taken for updates to propagate. Option A is wrong because 'ThrottledRequests' is for throttling. Option C is wrong because 'PendingReplicationCount' shows number of pending items, not time. Option D is wrong because 'ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits' is for capacity.
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.
✗
Monitor the 'ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits' metric in both regions.
Why it's wrong here
ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits does not indicate replication lag.
✗
Monitor the 'PendingReplicationCount' metric in the source region.
Why it's wrong here
PendingReplicationCount shows count, not latency.
✗
Monitor the 'ThrottledRequests' metric in the source region.
Why it's wrong here
ThrottledRequests does not measure replication lag.
✓
Monitor the 'ReplicationLatency' metric in the replica region.
Why this is correct
ReplicationLatency measures the time lag for global tables replication.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
PendingReplicationCount shows count, not latency.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Monitor the 'ReplicationLatency' metric in the replica region. — Option B is correct because 'ReplicationLatency' measures the time taken for updates to propagate. Option A is wrong because 'ThrottledRequests' is for throttling. Option C is wrong because 'PendingReplicationCount' shows number of pending items, not time. Option D is wrong because 'ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits' is for capacity.
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: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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. 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: Option A (network latency), Option C (throttling due to insufficient write capacity), and Option D (replication lag) are correct. Option B is wrong because auto scaling doesn't increase latency; it adds capacity. Option E is wrong because read capacity affects reads, not writes.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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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