- A
Add a secondary index
Why wrong: Indexes do not increase the base table's capacity.
- B
Decrease the provisioned write capacity
Why wrong: Decreasing capacity would increase throttling.
- C
Enable DynamoDB Auto Scaling
Auto scaling adjusts capacity automatically based on traffic patterns.
- D
Increase the provisioned read capacity only
Why wrong: Throttling may be due to writes; increasing reads may not help.
Question 391 of 1,616
Reduce DynamoDB Throttling with Auto Scaling
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 developer is using Amazon DynamoDB as the data store for a web application. The application experiences frequent throttling errors. Which action can reduce throttling without changing the application code?
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
✓
Enable DynamoDB Auto Scaling
DynamoDB Auto Scaling automatically adjusts the provisioned throughput capacity based on actual traffic patterns, using the AWS Application Auto Scaling service. This prevents throttling by increasing capacity during demand spikes and reduces costs by scaling down during low traffic, all without requiring any code changes.
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.
- ✗
Add a secondary index
Why it's wrong here
Indexes do not increase the base table's capacity.
- ✗
Decrease the provisioned write capacity
Why it's wrong here
Decreasing capacity would increase throttling.
- ✓
Enable DynamoDB Auto Scaling
Why this is correct
Auto scaling adjusts capacity automatically based on traffic patterns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the provisioned read capacity only
Why it's wrong here
Throttling may be due to writes; increasing reads may not help.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume throttling can only be fixed by manually increasing capacity (Option D) or by optimizing queries (Option A), but they overlook the managed scaling solution that requires no code changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DynamoDB Auto Scaling uses target tracking scaling policies based on a target utilization percentage (default 70% for provisioned capacity). It integrates with CloudWatch metrics (ConsumedWriteCapacityUnits and ConsumedReadCapacityUnits) to dynamically adjust the provisioned values, ensuring the table stays below the throttling threshold while avoiding over-provisioning. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for applications with unpredictable traffic, such as e-commerce flash sales or social media viral events.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable DynamoDB Auto Scaling — DynamoDB Auto Scaling automatically adjusts the provisioned throughput capacity based on actual traffic patterns, using the AWS Application Auto Scaling service. This prevents throttling by increasing capacity during demand spikes and reduces costs by scaling down during low traffic, all without requiring any code changes.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 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
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
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