DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
Which TWO factors should be considered when choosing between Amazon DynamoDB and Amazon RDS for MySQL for a new e-commerce application with variable traffic patterns?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume ACID transactions are exclusive to relational databases, but DynamoDB supports ACID transactions within a single table, leading them to incorrectly select option C as a distinguishing factor.
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
✓
Operational overhead: DynamoDB is serverless, RDS requires patching and provisioning.
DynamoDB is a fully managed serverless service that eliminates the need for patching, provisioning, or managing servers, whereas Amazon RDS for MySQL requires manual patching, scaling, and instance provisioning. This operational overhead difference is critical for variable traffic patterns, as DynamoDB automatically handles infrastructure management, reducing administrative burden.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ability to perform complex joins and aggregations: DynamoDB supports SQL-like queries.
Why it's wrong here
RDS MySQL is better for complex joins; DynamoDB's query capabilities are limited.
- ✓
Operational overhead: DynamoDB is serverless, RDS requires patching and provisioning.
Why this is correct
DynamoDB is fully managed with no server management; RDS still requires some management.
- ✗
Support for ACID transactions in both databases.
Why it's wrong here
Both support transactions, but DynamoDB's transactions have limitations.
- ✗
Encryption at rest is only available for RDS.
Why it's wrong here
Both support encryption at rest.
- ✓
Automatic scaling of throughput with DynamoDB on-demand vs. manual scaling of RDS.
Why this is correct
DynamoDB on-demand scales automatically; RDS requires manual scaling or auto-scaling.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
Go deeper
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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.