The answer is to use DynamoDB Streams to export logs to Amazon S3 and query with Amazon Athena. This solution is correct because DynamoDB Streams capture item-level changes, including the old image of a record just before TTL deletion, allowing a Lambda function to write those expired logs to an S3 bucket for long-term storage. Athena can then run ad-hoc SQL queries directly on the data in S3, enabling cost-effective analysis without keeping hot data in DynamoDB. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of DynamoDB TTL behavior and the integration patterns for archival and analytics, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly try to query DynamoDB directly with Athena or disable TTL. A common memory tip is "Streams save the old, S3 holds the cold, Athena makes it gold."
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 application logs. The logs have a TTL of 7 days. The operations team needs to run ad-hoc analytical queries on logs older than 7 days, which are automatically deleted by TTL. Which solution should the team implement to retain and analyze old logs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use DynamoDB Streams to export logs to Amazon S3 and query with Amazon Athena.
Option D is correct because DynamoDB Streams captures old images before TTL deletion, and Lambda can write them to S3 for analysis with Athena. Option A is wrong because DynamoDB cannot be queried by Athena directly. Option B is wrong because disabling TTL would increase costs. Option C is wrong because exporting to S3 is not automatic via streams.
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 Streams to export logs to Amazon S3 and query with Amazon Athena.
Why this is correct
Streams capture data before deletion, and Athena can query S3 data cost-effectively.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable TTL and use a scheduled Lambda function to archive logs to Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling TTL would cause uncontrolled growth.
✗
Increase the TTL to 30 days and query the logs directly in DynamoDB.
Why it's wrong here
Keeping logs in DynamoDB for 30 days is expensive for analytics.
✗
Use AWS Glue to crawl DynamoDB tables and create a data catalog for Athena queries.
Why it's wrong here
Glue can crawl DynamoDB but queries would still read from DynamoDB, incurring read costs.
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 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 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.
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 Streams to export logs to Amazon S3 and query with Amazon Athena. — Option D is correct because DynamoDB Streams captures old images before TTL deletion, and Lambda can write them to S3 for analysis with Athena. Option A is wrong because DynamoDB cannot be queried by Athena directly. Option B is wrong because disabling TTL would increase costs. Option C is wrong because exporting to S3 is not automatic via streams.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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