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Workload-Specific Database Design →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question

This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

CloudFormation snippet:
"OrdersTable": {
  "Type": "AWS::DynamoDB::Table",
  "Properties": {
    "TableName": "Orders",
    "AttributeDefinitions": [
      {"AttributeName": "OrderID", "AttributeType": "S"},
      {"AttributeName": "CustomerID", "AttributeType": "S"}
    ],
    "KeySchema": [
      {"AttributeName": "OrderID", "KeyType": "HASH"}
    ],
    "GlobalSecondaryIndexes": [
      {
        "IndexName": "CustomerIndex",
        "KeySchema": [
          {"AttributeName": "CustomerID", "KeyType": "HASH"}
        ],
        "Projection": {
          "ProjectionType": "ALL"
        },
        "ProvisionedThroughput": {
          "ReadCapacityUnits": 5,
          "WriteCapacityUnits": 5
        }
      }
    ],
    "ProvisionedThroughput": {
      "ReadCapacityUnits": 5,
      "WriteCapacityUnits": 5
    }
  }
}

A developer is designing a DynamoDB table for an order management system using the above CloudFormation template. The application needs to query orders by CustomerID. The current design has a GSI on CustomerID. However, the developer notices that the GSI has low write throughput and often throttles. What is the most cost-effective way to improve write throughput on the GSI?

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

CloudFormation snippet:
"OrdersTable": {
  "Type": "AWS::DynamoDB::Table",
  "Properties": {
    "TableName": "Orders",
    "AttributeDefinitions": [
      {"AttributeName": "OrderID", "AttributeType": "S"},
      {"AttributeName": "CustomerID", "AttributeType": "S"}
    ],
    "KeySchema": [
      {"AttributeName": "OrderID", "KeyType": "HASH"}
    ],
    "GlobalSecondaryIndexes": [
      {
        "IndexName": "CustomerIndex",
        "KeySchema": [
          {"AttributeName": "CustomerID", "KeyType": "HASH"}
        ],
        "Projection": {
          "ProjectionType": "ALL"
        },
        "ProvisionedThroughput": {
          "ReadCapacityUnits": 5,
          "WriteCapacityUnits": 5
        }
      }
    ],
    "ProvisionedThroughput": {
      "ReadCapacityUnits": 5,
      "WriteCapacityUnits": 5
    }
  }
}

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

✓

Increase the WriteCapacityUnits of the GSI from 5 to a higher value.

Option D is correct because the GSI's write throughput is independent of the base table's write capacity. Increasing the GSI's WriteCapacityUnits directly addresses the throttling on the GSI without affecting the base table's cost or performance. This is the most cost-effective approach because it only scales the specific resource that is throttling, rather than over-provisioning the entire table or adding unnecessary infrastructure.

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.

  • ✗

    Change the ProjectionType of the GSI to KEYS_ONLY.

    Why it's wrong here

    Projection type does not affect write throughput.

  • ✗

    Use Amazon SQS to buffer writes to the table.

    Why it's wrong here

    SQS does not affect DynamoDB write capacity.

  • ✗

    Increase the WriteCapacityUnits of the table.

    Why it's wrong here

    Table capacity does not affect GSI capacity.

  • ✓

    Increase the WriteCapacityUnits of the GSI from 5 to a higher value.

    Why this is correct

    GSI has its own provisioned throughput; increasing it alleviates throttling.

    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 mistakenly believe that increasing the base table's write capacity will automatically increase the GSI's write throughput, but DynamoDB treats GSI capacity as a separate resource that must be provisioned independently.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

In DynamoDB, a GSI has its own provisioned write capacity, and writes to the GSI are consumed from that capacity independently of the base table. When a GSI throttles, it means the GSI's write capacity is insufficient for the rate of incoming writes from the base table. Increasing the GSI's WriteCapacityUnits is the direct fix, and it is more cost-effective than increasing the base table's capacity because you only pay for the additional GSI throughput. A real-world scenario is an order management system where CustomerID queries are frequent, and the GSI is the bottleneck; scaling only the GSI avoids unnecessary cost on the base table.

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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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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: Increase the WriteCapacityUnits of the GSI from 5 to a higher value. — Option D is correct because the GSI's write throughput is independent of the base table's write capacity. Increasing the GSI's WriteCapacityUnits directly addresses the throttling on the GSI without affecting the base table's cost or performance. This is the most cost-effective approach because it only scales the specific resource that is throttling, rather than over-provisioning the entire table or adding unnecessary infrastructure.

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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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.