- A
The table has a low read/write capacity mode limit that needs to be increased.
Why wrong: On-demand automatically scales, but there is a limit per partition.
- B
The global secondary index (GSI) has a different throughput limit.
Why wrong: GSIs in on-demand mode share the table's throughput.
- C
The table has reached the maximum provisioned throughput.
Why wrong: On-demand tables do not have provisioned throughput.
- D
The request rate exceeds the partition's throughput capacity in a short burst.
On-demand can throttle if a single partition's throughput is exceeded.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 developer is troubleshooting an application that uses Amazon DynamoDB. The application sometimes receives ProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. The table has on-demand capacity mode. The errors occur in short bursts. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The request rate exceeds the partition's throughput capacity in a short burst.
On-demand capacity mode can handle up to the table's previous peak traffic. However, if traffic spikes suddenly, DynamoDB might throttle. Option D is correct because on-demand has a limit on the maximum throughput per partition. Option A is wrong because indexes share the table's capacity. Option B is wrong because on-demand does not have provisioned limits. Option C is wrong because the table is on-demand, not provisioned.
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.
- ✗
The table has a low read/write capacity mode limit that needs to be increased.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand automatically scales, but there is a limit per partition.
- ✗
The global secondary index (GSI) has a different throughput limit.
Why it's wrong here
GSIs in on-demand mode share the table's throughput.
- ✗
The table has reached the maximum provisioned throughput.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand tables do not have provisioned throughput.
- ✓
The request rate exceeds the partition's throughput capacity in a short burst.
Why this is correct
On-demand can throttle if a single partition's throughput is exceeded.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" 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.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
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: The request rate exceeds the partition's throughput capacity in a short burst. — On-demand capacity mode can handle up to the table's previous peak traffic. However, if traffic spikes suddenly, DynamoDB might throttle. Option D is correct because on-demand has a limit on the maximum throughput per partition. Option A is wrong because indexes share the table's capacity. Option B is wrong because on-demand does not have provisioned limits. Option C is wrong because the table is on-demand, not provisioned.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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