DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
A company needs to build a reporting dashboard that queries a large dataset stored in Amazon S3. The queries are complex and require full SQL support. Which service should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
AWS often tests the misconception that Redshift Spectrum is the only way to query S3 with SQL, but Athena is the serverless, cost-effective alternative for ad-hoc queries without a cluster.
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 Athena
Amazon Athena is the correct choice because it is a serverless, interactive query service that allows you to analyze data directly in Amazon S3 using standard SQL. It supports complex queries, including joins, window functions, and CTEs, and requires no infrastructure management, making it ideal for ad-hoc reporting on large datasets in S3.
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 Redshift Spectrum
Why it's wrong here
Redshift Spectrum can query S3 but requires a Redshift cluster.
- ✗
Amazon RDS
Why it's wrong here
RDS requires data to be loaded into the database, not directly on S3.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is not designed for querying S3 data.
- ✓
Amazon Athena
Why this is correct
Athena allows querying S3 data directly with standard SQL, no loading required.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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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.