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Question 1,168 of 1,730

Management and Operations →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Handling Unpredictable DynamoDB Write Spikes Cost-Effectively

This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company uses Amazon DynamoDB with on-demand capacity for a gaming leaderboard. During a promotional event, write traffic spikes 10x, causing occasional 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' errors. The application retries with exponential backoff, but latency increases. The team notices that the 'ThrottledWriteRequests' metric spikes. What is the MOST cost-effective solution to handle these unpredictable spikes?

A
Continue using on-demand capacity but ensure the table has no throttling.
Why wrong: Incorrect. On-demand capacity does not throw 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' because it scales automatically. This error indicates the table is provisioned, so continuing with on-demand would not resolve the inconsistency.
B
Implement DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to reduce read load.
Why wrong: Incorrect. DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) reduces read latency but does not help with write throttling or handling write spikes.
C
Switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling configured for the expected peak.
Correct. Switching to provisioned capacity with auto scaling allows the table to scale based on actual traffic patterns, handling spikes cost-effectively without manual intervention. This directly addresses the throughput exception.
D
Use an Amazon SQS queue to buffer write requests before DynamoDB.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Using an SQS queue adds latency and operational complexity. While it can buffer writes, it is not the most cost-effective solution compared to properly scaling the database.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling configured for the expected peak.

The scenario describes a DynamoDB table using on-demand capacity but experiencing 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException', which is an error specific to provisioned capacity. This inconsistency suggests the table is actually using provisioned capacity. Therefore, the best solution is to switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling properly configured to handle the peak traffic, ensuring cost-effectiveness by scaling only when needed. Option A is invalid because on-demand tables do not throw this error. Option B (DAX) addresses read latency, not write throttling. Option D (SQS) adds complexity and latency and is not the most cost-effective for unpredictable write spikes.

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.

✗
Continue using on-demand capacity but ensure the table has no throttling.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. On-demand capacity does not throw 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException' because it scales automatically. This error indicates the table is provisioned, so continuing with on-demand would not resolve the inconsistency.
✗
Implement DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to reduce read load.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) reduces read latency but does not help with write throttling or handling write spikes.
✓
Switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling configured for the expected peak.
Why this is correct
Correct. Switching to provisioned capacity with auto scaling allows the table to scale based on actual traffic patterns, handling spikes cost-effectively without manual intervention. This directly addresses the throughput exception.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use an Amazon SQS queue to buffer write requests before DynamoDB.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Using an SQS queue adds latency and operational complexity. While it can buffer writes, it is not the most cost-effective solution compared to properly scaling the database.

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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.

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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Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DBS-C01 question test?

Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling configured for the expected peak. — The scenario describes a DynamoDB table using on-demand capacity but experiencing 'ProvisionedThroughputExceededException', which is an error specific to provisioned capacity. This inconsistency suggests the table is actually using provisioned capacity. Therefore, the best solution is to switch to provisioned capacity with auto scaling properly configured to handle the peak traffic, ensuring cost-effectiveness by scaling only when needed. Option A is invalid because on-demand tables do not throw this error. Option B (DAX) addresses read latency, not write throttling. Option D (SQS) adds complexity and latency and is not the most cost-effective for unpredictable write spikes.

What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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