The answer is that DynamoDB Streams are not enabled on the table, as global tables rely entirely on streams to capture and replicate changes across regions. Without an active stream on the source table in us-east-1, no change data is ever sent to the replica in eu-west-1, causing a silent failure where writes appear successful locally but never propagate. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this is a classic trap: candidates often suspect IAM misconfigurations or replication delays, but DynamoDB has no configurable replication lag, and IAM issues would produce explicit access-denied errors rather than silent replication gaps. The key distinction is that streams are the engine of global tables—if they are disabled, replication simply stops without any warning. Remember the mnemonic: No Streams, No Sync.
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 using Amazon DynamoDB with global tables. The application writes to a table in the us-east-1 region. The database administrator notices that updates made in us-east-1 are not appearing in the replica table in eu-west-1. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DynamoDB Streams are not enabled on the table.
Option C is correct because global tables rely on DynamoDB Streams to replicate changes. If streams are disabled, replication stops. Option A is incorrect because DynamoDB does not have a replication delay setting. Option B is incorrect because IAM permissions would cause errors, not silent failure. Option D is incorrect because point-in-time recovery does not affect replication.
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.
✓
DynamoDB Streams are not enabled on the table.
Why this is correct
Global tables require DynamoDB Streams to be enabled for replication to work.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The replication delay is set too high.
Why it's wrong here
There is no replication delay setting in DynamoDB global tables.
✗
Point-in-time recovery is not enabled on the replica table.
Why it's wrong here
Point-in-time recovery is independent of replication.
✗
The IAM role for replication does not have sufficient permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Insufficient permissions would result in errors, not silent failure.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
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: DynamoDB Streams are not enabled on the table. — Option C is correct because global tables rely on DynamoDB Streams to replicate changes. If streams are disabled, replication stops. Option A is incorrect because DynamoDB does not have a replication delay setting. Option B is incorrect because IAM permissions would cause errors, not silent failure. Option D is incorrect because point-in-time recovery does not affect replication.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This DBS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DBS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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