- A
Use DynamoDB Standard-IA table class for the user profiles table.
Standard-IA lowers storage cost for infrequently accessed data.
- B
Increase the read capacity units to reduce throttling.
Why wrong: Increasing capacity increases cost.
- C
Add a Global Secondary Index on an additional attribute.
Why wrong: Adding GSI increases storage and throughput costs.
- D
Add DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching.
Why wrong: DAX adds cost and is for performance, not cost reduction.
Question 351 of 1,730
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.
A company uses Amazon DynamoDB to store user profiles. The access pattern is mostly GetItem by user_id. They want to reduce costs. Which design change is most effective?
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
✓
Use DynamoDB Standard-IA table class for the user profiles table.
Option A is correct because DynamoDB Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) table class offers a lower storage cost for data that is accessed infrequently, while still providing the same single-digit millisecond latency for GetItem operations. Since the access pattern is mostly GetItem by user_id, and assuming the data is not accessed frequently enough to justify the higher per-request cost of Standard, Standard-IA can significantly reduce overall costs. The trade-off is a slightly higher per-request cost, but for predominantly read-heavy workloads with low access frequency, the storage savings outweigh the request cost increase.
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.
- ✓
Use DynamoDB Standard-IA table class for the user profiles table.
Why this is correct
Standard-IA lowers storage cost for infrequently accessed data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the read capacity units to reduce throttling.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing capacity increases cost.
- ✗
Add a Global Secondary Index on an additional attribute.
Why it's wrong here
Adding GSI increases storage and throughput costs.
- ✗
Add DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching.
Why it's wrong here
DAX adds cost and is for performance, not cost reduction.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume adding a cache (DAX) or an index always improves performance and reduces cost, but in reality, these add-ons increase complexity and cost without addressing the core storage cost issue for infrequently accessed data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB Standard-IA uses the same underlying storage engine as Standard but with a different pricing model: lower per-GB storage cost ($0.10/GB vs $0.25/GB for Standard) but higher per-request cost ($0.00000125 per read request unit vs $0.00000065 for Standard). This makes it ideal for tables where data is accessed less than once per month on average. The table class can be changed via the AWS Management Console, CLI, or API without downtime, as DynamoDB performs a live migration. Real-world scenarios include user profile tables for dormant accounts, historical logs, or reference data that is rarely queried.
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: Use DynamoDB Standard-IA table class for the user profiles table. — Option A is correct because DynamoDB Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) table class offers a lower storage cost for data that is accessed infrequently, while still providing the same single-digit millisecond latency for GetItem operations. Since the access pattern is mostly GetItem by user_id, and assuming the data is not accessed frequently enough to justify the higher per-request cost of Standard, Standard-IA can significantly reduce overall costs. The trade-off is a slightly higher per-request cost, but for predominantly read-heavy workloads with low access frequency, the storage savings outweigh the request cost increase.
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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