- A
Alarm on the 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric.
This metric shows actual read usage.
- B
Alarm on the 'ReadThrottleEvents' metric.
Why wrong: This metric indicates throttling, not request rate.
- C
Alarm on the 'ProvisionedReadCapacityUnits' metric.
Why wrong: This metric is not applicable to on-demand tables.
- D
Alarm on the 'SuccessfulRequestLatency' metric.
Why wrong: This metric measures latency, not request rate.
Question 1,293 of 1,730
Setting CloudWatch Alarm for DynamoDB Read Rate
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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.
A company has an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table is used by a serverless application. The company wants to receive an alert when the read request rate exceeds a certain threshold. Which CloudWatch metric and alarm should be used?
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
✓
Alarm on the 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric.
The 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric reflects the actual number of read capacity units consumed by the table. By setting an alarm on this metric, you can trigger an alert when the read request rate exceeds a defined threshold, which is appropriate for an on-demand table where capacity scales automatically but you still want to monitor usage.
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.
- ✓
Alarm on the 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric.
Why this is correct
This metric shows actual read usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Alarm on the 'ReadThrottleEvents' metric.
Why it's wrong here
This metric indicates throttling, not request rate.
- ✗
Alarm on the 'ProvisionedReadCapacityUnits' metric.
Why it's wrong here
This metric is not applicable to on-demand tables.
- ✗
Alarm on the 'SuccessfulRequestLatency' metric.
Why it's wrong here
This metric measures latency, not request rate.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse throttling events (ReadThrottleEvents) with actual consumption, but the question asks for an alert when the read request rate exceeds a threshold, which requires monitoring consumption, not throttling.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In on-demand mode, DynamoDB automatically scales to handle up to the previous peak traffic, but there is a per-table throughput limit (e.g., 40,000 read request units per second). The 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric is emitted every minute and represents the sum of read capacity units consumed, which for strongly consistent reads is 1 RCU per 4 KB item. Monitoring this metric helps detect unexpected traffic spikes that could approach the soft limit, allowing proactive scaling or investigation.
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.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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?
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: Alarm on the 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric. — The 'ConsumedReadCapacityUnits' metric reflects the actual number of read capacity units consumed by the table. By setting an alarm on this metric, you can trigger an alert when the read request rate exceeds a defined threshold, which is appropriate for an on-demand table where capacity scales automatically but you still want to monitor usage.
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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