- A
Configure read replicas in each region to offload read traffic.
Read replicas provide additional read capacity with low latency.
- B
Use a single instance in each region with Multi-AZ disabled.
Why wrong: Single instance lacks high availability within a region.
- C
Use local secondary indexes to improve query performance in each region.
Why wrong: Local secondary indexes are within a region, not affecting cross-region reads.
- D
Deploy a global cluster with a primary region and secondary regions for read workloads.
Global clusters replicate data across regions and support local reads.
- E
Shard the data across multiple clusters in different regions.
Why wrong: DocumentDB does not natively support sharding.
Question 8 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
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 company is designing a document database for a content management system using Amazon DocumentDB. The application requires high availability and low-latency reads across multiple AWS Regions. Which TWO design choices meet 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
✓
Configure read replicas in each region to offload read traffic.
Option A is correct because Amazon DocumentDB read replicas can be placed in different AWS Regions to offload read traffic and provide low-latency reads locally. Option D is correct because a global cluster in DocumentDB replicates data from a primary region to secondary regions, enabling high availability and low-latency reads across regions.
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.
- ✓
Configure read replicas in each region to offload read traffic.
Why this is correct
Read replicas provide additional read capacity with low latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a single instance in each region with Multi-AZ disabled.
Why it's wrong here
Single instance lacks high availability within a region.
- ✗
Use local secondary indexes to improve query performance in each region.
Why it's wrong here
Local secondary indexes are within a region, not affecting cross-region reads.
- ✓
Deploy a global cluster with a primary region and secondary regions for read workloads.
Why this is correct
Global clusters replicate data across regions and support local reads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Shard the data across multiple clusters in different regions.
Why it's wrong here
DocumentDB does not natively support sharding.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Amazon DocumentDB's global cluster feature with DynamoDB global tables or assume that sharding across clusters is necessary for cross-region reads, when DocumentDB's native global cluster provides a simpler and more performant solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon DocumentDB global clusters use a storage-based replication mechanism that asynchronously replicates data from the primary region to secondary regions with a typical lag of less than one second. Read replicas in each region can be promoted to primary in a disaster recovery scenario, but global clusters provide a managed, lower-latency solution for cross-region reads by routing queries to the nearest secondary cluster endpoint. Under the hood, DocumentDB uses a distributed storage volume that automatically replicates data six ways across three Availability Zones in a single region, and global clusters extend this replication across regions.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Workload-Specific Database Design — study guide chapter
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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: Configure read replicas in each region to offload read traffic. — Option A is correct because Amazon DocumentDB read replicas can be placed in different AWS Regions to offload read traffic and provide low-latency reads locally. Option D is correct because a global cluster in DocumentDB replicates data from a primary region to secondary regions, enabling high availability and low-latency reads across regions.
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
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