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 techniques can reduce read latency for frequently accessed data in Amazon DynamoDB? (Choose 2.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add Global Secondary Indexes (GSI) for common query patterns
Adding Global Secondary Indexes (GSI) allows you to pre-materialize alternative query patterns, enabling efficient lookups on non-key attributes without scanning the entire table. This reduces read latency for frequently accessed data by providing a pre-sorted and partitioned index that DynamoDB can query directly, avoiding expensive full-table scans.
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.
✗
Use strongly consistent reads
Why it's wrong here
Strongly consistent reads are slower than eventually consistent.
✗
Increase write capacity units
Why it's wrong here
Does not affect read latency.
✗
Decrease read capacity units
Why it's wrong here
Reduces throughput, may increase latency due to throttling.
✓
Add Global Secondary Indexes (GSI) for common query patterns
Why this is correct
GSIs can provide efficient access to data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Enable DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX)
Why this is correct
In-memory cache reduces read latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse strongly consistent reads with performance optimization, not realizing that consistency guarantees come at the cost of higher latency, not lower.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) is an in-memory cache that sits between your application and DynamoDB, providing microsecond read latency for frequently accessed items by serving reads from memory rather than from the underlying SSD storage. GSIs are physically separate tables that replicate data from the base table asynchronously, allowing you to query on different partition and sort keys; however, they introduce eventual consistency and additional write costs, so they are best for read-heavy workloads with predictable access patterns.
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: Add Global Secondary Indexes (GSI) for common query patterns — Adding Global Secondary Indexes (GSI) allows you to pre-materialize alternative query patterns, enabling efficient lookups on non-key attributes without scanning the entire table. This reduces read latency for frequently accessed data by providing a pre-sorted and partitioned index that DynamoDB can query directly, avoiding expensive full-table scans.
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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