- A
Amazon ElastiCache for Memcached
Why wrong: ElastiCache is a caching layer, not a primary database, and lacks persistence and strong consistency guarantees.
- B
Amazon S3 with S3 Select
Why wrong: S3 is object storage not designed for low-latency transactional workloads.
- C
Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ deployment
Why wrong: RDS MySQL does not scale horizontally to millions of requests per second in the same way as DynamoDB.
- D
Amazon DynamoDB with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX)
DynamoDB provides scalable, low-latency, strongly consistent performance suitable for high-request-rate applications.
Question 32 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 database for a global e-commerce application that requires low-latency reads and writes with strong consistency. The application is expected to handle millions of requests per second and requires high availability. Which AWS database service is most suitable for this workload?
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 DynamoDB with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX)
Amazon DynamoDB with DAX is the most suitable choice because DynamoDB itself provides single-digit millisecond latency at any scale, supports strong consistency for both reads and writes (via ConsistentRead=true for reads), and is designed for high availability and millions of requests per second. DAX is an in-memory cache that accelerates reads, but it only supports eventual consistency; however, reads requiring strong consistency can be served directly from DynamoDB while DAX handles the majority of eventually consistent reads, thereby meeting the low-latency and strong consistency requirements of the application.
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 ElastiCache for Memcached
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache is a caching layer, not a primary database, and lacks persistence and strong consistency guarantees.
- ✗
Amazon S3 with S3 Select
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage not designed for low-latency transactional workloads.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ deployment
Why it's wrong here
RDS MySQL does not scale horizontally to millions of requests per second in the same way as DynamoDB.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX)
Why this is correct
DynamoDB provides scalable, low-latency, strongly consistent performance suitable for high-request-rate applications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Amazon ElastiCache as a primary database solution for low-latency workloads, overlooking that it lacks durability and strong consistency, and instead choose it over DynamoDB with DAX which is purpose-built for such requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB uses a distributed hash table with automatic partitioning and replication across three Availability Zones, ensuring strong consistency by default for writes and optionally for reads via the ConsistentRead parameter. DAX integrates as a write-through cache that synchronously updates the cache on writes, allowing subsequent strongly consistent reads to be served from the in-memory cache with microsecond latency. In a real-world scenario, a global e-commerce platform like Amazon.com uses DynamoDB for shopping cart and session data, where DAX reduces read latency from single-digit milliseconds to microseconds while maintaining consistency 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
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 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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Workload-Specific Database Design practice questions
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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 DynamoDB with DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) — Amazon DynamoDB with DAX is the most suitable choice because DynamoDB itself provides single-digit millisecond latency at any scale, supports strong consistency for both reads and writes (via ConsistentRead=true for reads), and is designed for high availability and millions of requests per second. DAX is an in-memory cache that accelerates reads, but it only supports eventual consistency; however, reads requiring strong consistency can be served directly from DynamoDB while DAX handles the majority of eventually consistent reads, thereby meeting the low-latency and strong consistency requirements of the application.
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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