The answer is to use partition keys with high cardinality and to leverage global secondary indexes (GSIs) for diverse query patterns. High-cardinality partition keys ensure that requests are evenly distributed across all partitions, preventing hot spots that throttle performance under heavy traffic. GSIs allow you to define alternate partition and sort keys, enabling efficient access to data using multiple access patterns without duplicating the base table, which reduces expensive scans and application-level joins. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this topic tests your understanding of how DynamoDB’s internal partitioning model scales with workload; a common trap is choosing “strongly consistent reads” for high traffic, which actually consumes twice the throughput and can bottleneck performance. Remember the mnemonic “High Card, GSI Away” — high cardinality spreads the load, and GSIs let you query without scanning.
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.
Which TWO of the following are best practices for designing a DynamoDB table for high traffic? (Choose 2)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use global secondary indexes for alternate access patterns
Global secondary indexes (GSIs) allow you to define alternate partition and sort keys to support different query patterns without duplicating data. This is a best practice for high-traffic workloads because it enables efficient access to data using multiple access patterns while maintaining a single base table, reducing the need for expensive scans or application-level joins.
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.
✗
Store large items to reduce the number of items
Why it's wrong here
Large items can exceed DynamoDB's item size limit and cause throttling.
✗
Use normalized tables and perform joins in application
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is NoSQL and does not support joins; design for single-table access.
✓
Use global secondary indexes for alternate access patterns
Why this is correct
GSIs allow efficient queries on non-key attributes.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Always use strongly consistent reads for best performance
Why it's wrong here
Strongly consistent reads consume more throughput and are not always necessary.
✓
Use partition keys with high cardinality
Why this is correct
High cardinality ensures even distribution of requests across partitions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
AWS often tests the misconception that strongly consistent reads always provide better performance, when in fact they are more expensive and slower than eventually consistent reads, and should only be used when strict read-after-write consistency is required.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB distributes data across partitions based on the partition key's hash value. High-cardinality partition keys (e.g., user ID, device ID) ensure even distribution of requests across partitions, preventing hot partitions that throttle throughput. GSIs have their own provisioned throughput and are eventually consistent by default, so you must design for eventual consistency unless you enable strongly consistent reads on the GSI (which is not supported for GSIs).
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
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 global secondary indexes for alternate access patterns — Global secondary indexes (GSIs) allow you to define alternate partition and sort keys to support different query patterns without duplicating data. This is a best practice for high-traffic workloads because it enables efficient access to data using multiple access patterns while maintaining a single base table, reducing the need for expensive scans or application-level joins.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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