- A
Amazon Redshift with automated snapshots
Redshift is built for analytics and supports point-in-time recovery via snapshots.
- B
Amazon RDS for MySQL with read replicas
Why wrong: RDS MySQL is not optimized for analytical queries on terabytes of data.
- C
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with AOF persistence
Why wrong: ElastiCache is not designed for complex analytical queries or large data volumes.
- D
Amazon DynamoDB with on-demand backup
Why wrong: DynamoDB is not designed for complex analytical queries.
Question 460 of 1,730
Amazon Redshift: Analytical Queries with Strong Consistency and PITR
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 financial services company needs a database to store transaction records with strong consistency and the ability to run complex analytical queries. The data volume is in the terabytes and is expected to grow. The company also needs point-in-time recovery. Which AWS database solution meets these requirements?
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 Redshift with automated snapshots
Amazon Redshift is correct because it is a fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse designed for complex analytical queries on large datasets, and it supports automated snapshots for point-in-time recovery within a configurable retention period. The service provides strong consistency for committed transactions and can handle terabytes of data with columnar storage and massively parallel processing, making it ideal for the financial services company's requirements.
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.
- ✓
Amazon Redshift with automated snapshots
Why this is correct
Redshift is built for analytics and supports point-in-time recovery via snapshots.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with read replicas
Why it's wrong here
RDS MySQL is not optimized for analytical queries on terabytes of data.
- ✗
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with AOF persistence
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache is not designed for complex analytical queries or large data volumes.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB with on-demand backup
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is not designed for complex analytical queries.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse OLTP databases like RDS or DynamoDB with OLAP solutions like Redshift, assuming that any database with point-in-time recovery and strong consistency can handle complex analytical queries at scale, but Redshift is the only option purpose-built for petabyte-scale analytics with columnar storage and MPP architecture.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Redshift's automated snapshots are stored in Amazon S3 and are incremental, meaning only changed data is saved after the initial full snapshot, enabling efficient point-in-time recovery to any second within the retention window (up to 35 days). The service uses leader-node-to-compute-node architecture with columnar compression and zone maps to skip irrelevant data blocks, which is critical for running complex analytical queries on terabyte-scale datasets without full table scans.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon Redshift with automated snapshots — Amazon Redshift is correct because it is a fully managed, petabyte-scale data warehouse designed for complex analytical queries on large datasets, and it supports automated snapshots for point-in-time recovery within a configurable retention period. The service provides strong consistency for committed transactions and can handle terabytes of data with columnar storage and massively parallel processing, making it ideal for the financial services company's requirements.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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