- A
Change the TTL attribute type to String format.
Why wrong: The attribute type should be Number (epoch), which it already is.
- B
Increase the provisioned write capacity on the table to allow TTL to delete items faster.
TTL deletion uses write capacity; increasing it speeds up deletion.
- C
Configure the 'ttl_deletion_lag' parameter to a lower value.
Why wrong: No such parameter exists.
- D
Create an AWS Lambda function that scans the table and deletes expired items.
Why wrong: This is inefficient and duplicates TTL functionality.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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 as a session store for a web application. The application uses a TTL attribute to expire old sessions. The company noticed that expired sessions are not being deleted promptly, causing the table size to grow and increasing costs. The TTL attribute is defined as 'expire_time' with a Unix epoch timestamp. The database specialist verified that TTL is enabled. What should the specialist do to ensure expired sessions are deleted in a timely manner?
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 provisioned write capacity on the table to allow TTL to delete items faster.
Option B is correct because TTL deletion can be delayed if the table has a high write rate; increasing provisioned write capacity can allocate more resources to the background deletion process, allowing expired items to be removed more quickly. Option A is wrong because changing the attribute type to String would not resolve the deletion delay (the TTL attribute should be a Number). Option C is wrong because there is no 'ttl_deletion_lag' parameter in DynamoDB. Option D is wrong because using a Lambda function to scan and delete expired items is unnecessary and inefficient compared to properly tuning TTL.
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 TTL attribute type to String format.
Why it's wrong here
The attribute type should be Number (epoch), which it already is.
- ✓
Increase the provisioned write capacity on the table to allow TTL to delete items faster.
Why this is correct
TTL deletion uses write capacity; increasing it speeds up deletion.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure the 'ttl_deletion_lag' parameter to a lower value.
Why it's wrong here
No such parameter exists.
- ✗
Create an AWS Lambda function that scans the table and deletes expired items.
Why it's wrong here
This is inefficient and duplicates TTL functionality.
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.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the provisioned write capacity on the table to allow TTL to delete items faster. — Option B is correct because TTL deletion can be delayed if the table has a high write rate; increasing provisioned write capacity can allocate more resources to the background deletion process, allowing expired items to be removed more quickly. Option A is wrong because changing the attribute type to String would not resolve the deletion delay (the TTL attribute should be a Number). Option C is wrong because there is no 'ttl_deletion_lag' parameter in DynamoDB. Option D is wrong because using a Lambda function to scan and delete expired items is unnecessary and inefficient compared to properly tuning TTL.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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