The correct answers are Amazon ElastiCache and Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX), as both are designed to improve read performance for e-commerce applications with high read traffic and low write latency requirements. ElastiCache acts as an in-memory caching layer that offloads frequent read requests from the primary database, while DAX provides sub-millisecond read latency specifically for DynamoDB by caching hot data. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between caching solutions and other services like Redshift or Multi-AZ RDS, which serve analytics or availability purposes rather than read performance. A common trap is confusing high availability features with read scaling—Multi-AZ does not reduce read load. Remember the memory tip: “Cache for reads, Multi-AZ for failsafe, Redshift for reports.”
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO of the following are valid considerations when designing a database for an e-commerce application with high read traffic and low write latency requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to improve read performance.
Option A and D are correct. Amazon ElastiCache is a caching layer that reduces read load on the database. Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) provides in-memory caching for DynamoDB, reducing read latency. Option B (Amazon Redshift) is a data warehouse for analytics, not for low-latency transactional reads. Option C (Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ) provides high availability but does not primarily address high read traffic. Option E (Amazon S3) is object storage, not a transactional database.
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.
✓
Use Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to improve read performance.
Why this is correct
DAX is a caching layer for DynamoDB.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store session data in Amazon S3 for fast access.
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage, not suitable for low-latency reads.
✗
Use Amazon Redshift to serve read traffic directly.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is for analytics, not low-latency reads.
✓
Use Amazon ElastiCache to cache frequently accessed data.
Why this is correct
ElastiCache reduces read load by caching data in-memory.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ for read scaling.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
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 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.
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.
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: Use Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to improve read performance. — Option A and D are correct. Amazon ElastiCache is a caching layer that reduces read load on the database. Amazon DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) provides in-memory caching for DynamoDB, reducing read latency. Option B (Amazon Redshift) is a data warehouse for analytics, not for low-latency transactional reads. Option C (Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ) provides high availability but does not primarily address high read traffic. Option E (Amazon S3) is object storage, not a transactional database.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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