DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
A gaming company runs a leaderboard application on Amazon DynamoDB. The application experiences sudden spikes in read traffic during tournaments. The table uses on-demand capacity and the reads are eventually consistent. However, some users report stale data for several seconds. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse eventual consistency with capacity issues, but DynamoDB's on-demand mode eliminates throttling, so stale data points directly to the consistency model rather than resource constraints.
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 application is using eventually consistent reads.
Eventually consistent reads in DynamoDB can return stale data for up to one second under normal conditions, but during sudden spikes in read traffic, the replication lag can extend to several seconds. The application is using eventually consistent reads, which trade immediate consistency for higher throughput and lower latency, making stale data more likely during high-traffic periods like tournaments.
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 application is using eventually consistent reads.
Why this is correct
Eventually consistent reads can return stale data within about 1 second.
- ✗
The table is using on-demand capacity instead of provisioned capacity.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand capacity handles spikes but does not affect consistency.
- ✗
The table has a global secondary index (GSI) that is not updated synchronously.
Why it's wrong here
GSIs are updated asynchronously but that typically causes even less delay.
- ✗
The read capacity units are insufficient for the traffic spikes.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand capacity scales automatically, so throttling is not an issue.
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