- A
Amazon DynamoDB
Key-value NoSQL database with single-digit millisecond latency.
- B
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
In-memory key-value store with sub-millisecond latency.
- C
Amazon Neptune
Why wrong: Graph database, not for simple key-value.
- D
Amazon Redshift
Why wrong: Data warehouse, not for transactional key-value.
- E
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: Relational database, not suited for ultra-low latency at scale.
Question 1,367 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 designing a database for a global e-commerce platform. The application requires single-digit millisecond read and write latency for user sessions, and must handle millions of requests per second. The data is key-value in nature. Which TWO AWS services should the company consider? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL key-value and document database that delivers single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. It is designed for high-traffic applications requiring millions of requests per second, making it ideal for the global e-commerce platform's user session data.
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.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB
Why this is correct
Key-value NoSQL database with single-digit millisecond latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis
Why this is correct
In-memory key-value store with sub-millisecond latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon Neptune
Why it's wrong here
Graph database, not for simple key-value.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift
Why it's wrong here
Data warehouse, not for transactional key-value.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Relational database, not suited for ultra-low latency at scale.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose Amazon RDS for MySQL or Amazon Neptune because they are familiar with SQL or graph databases, but they fail to recognize that key-value workloads with extreme throughput and latency requirements are a core use case for DynamoDB and ElastiCache, not relational or graph databases.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB achieves its latency through a distributed hash table architecture with SSD-backed storage and automatic replication across three Availability Zones. For even lower latency (sub-millisecond) for session data, ElastiCache for Redis provides an in-memory data store with operations like GET/SET completing in microseconds, and it supports data structures (e.g., hashes, sorted sets) ideal for session management. In a real-world scenario, a common pattern is to use DynamoDB as the durable primary store and ElastiCache as a caching layer to absorb peak read traffic.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
- →
Workload-Specific Database Design — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Workload-Specific Database Design practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DBS-C01 questions
1,730 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DBS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DBS-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Workload-Specific Database Design practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.
Deployment and Migration practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.
Management and Operations practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.
Database Security practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.
DBS-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.
DBS-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.
DBS-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DBS-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Amazon DynamoDB — Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL key-value and document database that delivers single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. It is designed for high-traffic applications requiring millions of requests per second, making it ideal for the global e-commerce platform's user session data.
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.
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 →
Keep practising
More DBS-C01 practice questions
- A company is deploying a new application on Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The security policy requires that all data be enc…
- Match each AWS service to its primary purpose.
- A financial services company runs a production Amazon Aurora MySQL database cluster (1 writer, 2 readers) in us-east-1.…
- A company is designing a database for a global e-commerce platform that requires low-latency reads and writes from multi…
- A security auditor reviews the output of a DynamoDB table description command as shown in the exhibit. Which statement a…
- A company is migrating an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle. The database contains sensitive data tha…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.