- A
Switch the storage engine from InnoDB to MyISAM
Why wrong: MyISAM lacks transaction support and is not recommended for production.
- B
Use batch INSERT statements instead of single-row inserts
Batch inserts reduce transaction overhead and log I/O.
- C
Upgrade to a larger RDS instance class
Why wrong: More CPU/memory may not reduce write amplification caused by index maintenance.
- D
Remove unused or redundant indexes
Fewer indexes mean less work during writes.
- E
Normalize the database schema to reduce data redundancy
Why wrong: Normalization can reduce redundancy but may increase joins; it does not directly reduce write amplification from index updates.
Question 1,677 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 runs a MySQL-compatible database on Amazon RDS for a mission-critical application. The database experiences high write latency due to frequent index updates. The team wants to redesign the database to reduce write amplification and improve insert performance. Which TWO design changes could help?
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
✓
Use batch INSERT statements instead of single-row inserts
Option B is correct because batch INSERT statements reduce the overhead of per-row index updates by combining multiple rows into a single transaction. This minimizes the number of index tree traversals and log flushes, directly lowering write amplification and improving insert throughput in InnoDB.
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.
- ✗
Switch the storage engine from InnoDB to MyISAM
Why it's wrong here
MyISAM lacks transaction support and is not recommended for production.
- ✓
Use batch INSERT statements instead of single-row inserts
Why this is correct
Batch inserts reduce transaction overhead and log I/O.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Upgrade to a larger RDS instance class
Why it's wrong here
More CPU/memory may not reduce write amplification caused by index maintenance.
- ✓
Remove unused or redundant indexes
Why this is correct
Fewer indexes mean less work during writes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Normalize the database schema to reduce data redundancy
Why it's wrong here
Normalization can reduce redundancy but may increase joins; it does not directly reduce write amplification from index updates.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse scaling up (Option C) with optimizing write patterns, or assume that removing indexes (Option D) is the only way to reduce write amplification, when batch operations directly address the per-row overhead without sacrificing query performance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
InnoDB uses a clustered index (B+ tree) where every secondary index update requires a change buffer merge or direct leaf modification. Batch INSERTs allow InnoDB to amortize the cost of index maintenance across multiple rows, and the change buffer can defer secondary index updates until the buffer is full, reducing random I/O. In a real-world scenario, switching from 1-row INSERTs to batches of 100 rows can reduce write latency by over 50% on high-concurrency workloads.
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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Workload-Specific Database Design — study guide chapter
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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: Use batch INSERT statements instead of single-row inserts — Option B is correct because batch INSERT statements reduce the overhead of per-row index updates by combining multiple rows into a single transaction. This minimizes the number of index tree traversals and log flushes, directly lowering write amplification and improving insert throughput in InnoDB.
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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