DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
A gaming company needs a database to store player session data that is ephemeral and requires sub-millisecond latency. The data can be lost on failure without impact. Which service is best?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates choose DynamoDB (Option A) because it is a common choice for session data, but the question's explicit requirement for sub-millisecond latency and tolerance for data loss points to an in-memory cache like Redis, not a durable database.
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 ElastiCache for Redis
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis is the best choice because it provides an in-memory data store with sub-millisecond latency, ideal for ephemeral player session data that can be lost on failure. Redis supports data structures like strings and hashes with TTL (time-to-live) expiration, perfectly matching the transient, low-latency requirement without needing durability.
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 DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB latency is in single-digit milliseconds, not sub-millisecond.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
Why it's wrong here
RDS has higher latency and is not ephemeral.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage with higher latency, not suitable for real-time session data.
- ✓
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
Why this is correct
ElastiCache Redis provides sub-millisecond latency and can be configured with no persistence.
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