- A
Convert secondary indexes to the DocumentDB-compatible format
DocumentDB requires indexes to be created in its own format; otherwise queries may not use them.
- B
Provision EBS-optimized instances with increased IOPS
Why wrong: DocumentDB uses Amazon EBS volumes, but performance tuning should focus on indexes.
- C
Use a larger instance type to avoid indexing issues
Why wrong: Vertical scaling does not solve indexing compatibility problems.
- D
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching
Why wrong: DAX is for DynamoDB, not DocumentDB.
Question 19 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 is migrating an on-premises MongoDB database to Amazon DocumentDB. The application uses secondary indexes extensively and requires low-latency reads. Which database design consideration is MOST important for this workload?
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
✓
Convert secondary indexes to the DocumentDB-compatible format
Option A is correct because secondary indexes in MongoDB must be converted to the Amazon DocumentDB-compatible format. DocumentDB uses a different storage engine and indexing implementation than MongoDB, so indexes created in MongoDB are not automatically compatible. Converting secondary indexes ensures that the query patterns relying on those indexes continue to perform with low-latency reads after migration.
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.
- ✓
Convert secondary indexes to the DocumentDB-compatible format
Why this is correct
DocumentDB requires indexes to be created in its own format; otherwise queries may not use them.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Provision EBS-optimized instances with increased IOPS
Why it's wrong here
DocumentDB uses Amazon EBS volumes, but performance tuning should focus on indexes.
- ✗
Use a larger instance type to avoid indexing issues
Why it's wrong here
Vertical scaling does not solve indexing compatibility problems.
- ✗
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching
Why it's wrong here
DAX is for DynamoDB, not DocumentDB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume secondary indexes are automatically compatible between MongoDB and DocumentDB, or they may confuse DocumentDB's storage architecture with Amazon RDS's EBS-based instances, leading them to select options about EBS IOPS or instance sizing instead of focusing on index conversion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon DocumentDB implements a MongoDB-compatible protocol but uses a separate, proprietary storage engine that replicates data across three Availability Zones. When migrating, secondary indexes must be recreated using the createIndex() command in DocumentDB, as the underlying B-tree structure differs from MongoDB's WiredTiger engine. In practice, failing to convert indexes can lead to full collection scans, significantly increasing read latency and defeating the purpose of low-latency reads.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Convert secondary indexes to the DocumentDB-compatible format — Option A is correct because secondary indexes in MongoDB must be converted to the Amazon DocumentDB-compatible format. DocumentDB uses a different storage engine and indexing implementation than MongoDB, so indexes created in MongoDB are not automatically compatible. Converting secondary indexes ensures that the query patterns relying on those indexes continue to perform with low-latency reads after migration.
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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