The answer is to switch to provisioned capacity mode and configure auto scaling. This is correct because DynamoDB on-demand capacity mode, while designed to handle variable traffic, can still throttle requests when a sudden spike exceeds the previous peak by more than double, as it relies on a short-term historical window for scaling. By moving to provisioned capacity, you gain direct control over the read and write capacity units, allowing you to set a higher minimum capacity that accommodates baseline peak loads, while auto scaling adjusts upward based on actual usage patterns—all without touching application code. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of DynamoDB capacity modes and the trade-off between on-demand simplicity and provisioned control; a common trap is assuming on-demand eliminates all throttling. Remember the mnemonic: “On-demand is hands-off but can still choke; provisioned with scaling gives you the yoke.”
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 using Amazon DynamoDB with on-demand capacity mode. The application experiences occasional throttling during peak hours. The operations team wants to reduce throttling without changing the application code. What should they do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Switch to provisioned capacity mode and configure auto scaling.
Option B is correct because DynamoDB on-demand capacity mode does not allow manual adjustment of capacity units; it scales automatically but can still throttle if traffic exceeds the previous peak by a large margin. Switching to provisioned capacity mode with auto scaling allows you to set a higher minimum capacity and scale proactively based on actual usage patterns, reducing throttling without code changes. This approach gives more control over capacity limits while still automating adjustments.
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.
✗
Increase the read and write capacity units in the on-demand mode.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand mode does not allow direct capacity adjustment.
✓
Switch to provisioned capacity mode and configure auto scaling.
Why this is correct
Provisioned capacity with auto scaling ensures adequate capacity for peak traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) to cache reads.
Why it's wrong here
DAX helps with read performance, not write throttling.
✗
Use DynamoDB global tables to distribute traffic across regions.
Why it's wrong here
Global tables do not affect capacity limits per table.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume on-demand mode never throttles, but it can throttle during sudden traffic spikes that exceed the previous 30-minute peak, and they mistakenly think increasing capacity units is possible in on-demand mode.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB on-demand mode uses a token bucket algorithm to manage capacity, where each request consumes tokens based on item size; throttling occurs when the burst capacity is exhausted. Provisioned mode with auto scaling uses AWS Application Auto Scaling to adjust capacity based on CloudWatch metrics like ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits, with a target utilization (e.g., 70%), allowing you to set a higher minimum to absorb spikes. In practice, on-demand can be costlier for predictable workloads, and switching to provisioned with auto scaling often reduces throttling while optimizing cost.
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.
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Switch to provisioned capacity mode and configure auto scaling. — Option B is correct because DynamoDB on-demand capacity mode does not allow manual adjustment of capacity units; it scales automatically but can still throttle if traffic exceeds the previous peak by a large margin. Switching to provisioned capacity mode with auto scaling allows you to set a higher minimum capacity and scale proactively based on actual usage patterns, reducing throttling without code changes. This approach gives more control over capacity limits while still automating adjustments.
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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Question Discussion
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