- A
Switch the table to provisioned capacity mode and enable auto scaling.
Provisioned capacity with auto scaling can handle burst traffic more effectively than on-demand in some cases.
- B
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching.
Why wrong: DAX caches reads, not writes; it does not address write throughput errors.
- C
Increase the read and write capacity units manually.
Why wrong: On-demand mode does not use capacity units; manual scaling is not possible.
- D
Use DynamoDB global tables to distribute the load across multiple regions.
Why wrong: Global tables replicate data, but do not increase per-partition throughput.
Question 741 of 1,730
Reducing DynamoDB Throttling by Switching to Provisioned Capacity
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 has an Amazon DynamoDB table with on-demand capacity mode. The table experiences occasional spikes in traffic. During these spikes, some requests receive ProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. The company wants to minimize these errors without changing the application. Which solution should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
✓
Switch the table to provisioned capacity mode and enable auto scaling.
DynamoDB on-demand mode automatically scales based on traffic volume, but it has a per-partition throughput limit. During sudden traffic spikes, this limit can be exceeded, causing ProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. Switching to provisioned capacity mode with auto scaling allows you to set a higher baseline capacity and automatically scale up to handle bursts, reducing the likelihood of hitting per-partition limits. Option B (DAX) only helps with read caching, not write throughput. Option C (manually increasing capacity) is not applicable in on-demand mode and would not auto-scale. Option D (global tables) replicates data across regions for disaster recovery, not for increasing throughput in a single region.
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 table to provisioned capacity mode and enable auto scaling.
Why this is correct
Provisioned capacity with auto scaling can handle burst traffic more effectively than on-demand in some cases.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching.
Why it's wrong here
DAX caches reads, not writes; it does not address write throughput errors.
- ✗
Increase the read and write capacity units manually.
Why it's wrong here
On-demand mode does not use capacity units; manual scaling is not possible.
- ✗
Use DynamoDB global tables to distribute the load across multiple regions.
Why it's wrong here
Global tables replicate data, but do not increase per-partition throughput.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
Management and Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Management and Operations 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?
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 the table to provisioned capacity mode and enable auto scaling. — DynamoDB on-demand mode automatically scales based on traffic volume, but it has a per-partition throughput limit. During sudden traffic spikes, this limit can be exceeded, causing ProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. Switching to provisioned capacity mode with auto scaling allows you to set a higher baseline capacity and automatically scale up to handle bursts, reducing the likelihood of hitting per-partition limits. Option B (DAX) only helps with read caching, not write throughput. Option C (manually increasing capacity) is not applicable in on-demand mode and would not auto-scale. Option D (global tables) replicates data across regions for disaster recovery, not for increasing throughput in a single region.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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: Jun 20, 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.