Quick Answer
The answer is the ReplicationLatency CloudWatch metric. This metric specifically measures the elapsed time between when an item is updated in one AWS Region and when that update is fully replicated to another Region in a DynamoDB Global Table, providing a direct view of replication lag. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of DynamoDB’s built-in observability tools versus metrics for other services; a common trap is confusing ReplicationLatency with custom metrics or with RDS replication metrics. Remember that DynamoDB Global Tables use a last-writer-wins conflict resolution mechanism, so monitoring this latency is critical for ensuring data freshness across regions. A simple memory tip is to think of the word “Latency” in the metric name as directly tied to the time delay of global replication, making it the only correct choice when you see “replication latency” in the question.
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 company wants to monitor replication latency between regions. Which CloudWatch metric should the company use?
GlobalTableReplicationLag
Why wrong: Not a standard metric.
ReplicaLag
Why wrong: This is for RDS read replicas.
WriteThrottleEvents
Why wrong: This measures throttling, not replication.
ReplicationLatency
This metric tracks replication lag.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
ReplicationLatency
Option A is correct because ReplicationLatency is the metric for global tables. Option B is incorrect for this purpose. Option C is incorrect because it is a custom metric. Option D is incorrect because it is for RDS.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
GlobalTableReplicationLag
Why it's wrong here
Not a standard metric.
ReplicaLag
Why it's wrong here
This is for RDS read replicas.
WriteThrottleEvents
Why it's wrong here
This measures throttling, not replication.
ReplicationLatency
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
Management and Operations — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: ReplicationLatency — Option A is correct because ReplicationLatency is the metric for global tables. Option B is incorrect for this purpose. Option C is incorrect because it is a custom metric. Option D is incorrect because it is for RDS.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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