- A
Use a single Amazon DynamoDB table with a tenant_id partition key
Why wrong: DynamoDB is NoSQL and not ideal for complex relational joins.
- B
Use a single Amazon Redshift cluster with tenant_id distribution key
Why wrong: Redshift is a data warehouse, not designed for transactional multi-tenant workloads.
- C
Provision a separate Amazon RDS instance for each tenant
Separate instances ensure complete data isolation and independent scaling.
- D
Use a single Amazon RDS database with a tenant_id column on every table
Why wrong: Single database does not provide full isolation and can have performance interference.
Question 534 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 startup is building a multi-tenant SaaS application where each tenant's data must be isolated. The data model is relational with complex joins. Which database deployment model is most appropriate?
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
✓
Provision a separate Amazon RDS instance for each tenant
Option C is correct because a multi-tenant SaaS application requiring strict data isolation with complex relational joins demands separate databases per tenant. Amazon RDS provides full relational capabilities (ACID transactions, complex joins) and provisioning separate RDS instances ensures complete tenant isolation, preventing cross-tenant data leakage and allowing independent backup, scaling, and performance tuning for each tenant.
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 a single Amazon DynamoDB table with a tenant_id partition key
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is NoSQL and not ideal for complex relational joins.
- ✗
Use a single Amazon Redshift cluster with tenant_id distribution key
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is a data warehouse, not designed for transactional multi-tenant workloads.
- ✓
Provision a separate Amazon RDS instance for each tenant
Why this is correct
Separate instances ensure complete data isolation and independent scaling.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a single Amazon RDS database with a tenant_id column on every table
Why it's wrong here
Single database does not provide full isolation and can have performance interference.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose logical isolation (Option D) thinking it is sufficient, but the exam emphasizes that strict data isolation for multi-tenant SaaS with complex relational joins requires physical database separation to prevent cross-tenant data leaks and ensure compliance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, separate RDS instances provide full network isolation via separate VPCs or security groups, and each instance has its own buffer pool, transaction logs, and connection limits. This model also allows per-tenant encryption with different KMS keys and independent point-in-time recovery. In a real-world scenario, a healthcare SaaS with HIPAA compliance would require this level of isolation to ensure that a failure or misconfiguration in one tenant's database cannot affect another tenant's protected health information.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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: Provision a separate Amazon RDS instance for each tenant — Option C is correct because a multi-tenant SaaS application requiring strict data isolation with complex relational joins demands separate databases per tenant. Amazon RDS provides full relational capabilities (ACID transactions, complex joins) and provisioning separate RDS instances ensures complete tenant isolation, preventing cross-tenant data leakage and allowing independent backup, scaling, and performance tuning for each tenant.
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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