- A
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the base table.
Why wrong: The base table's RCU does not affect the GSI's read capacity. The GSI has its own provisioned capacity; throttling on the GSI is not resolved by changing the base table.
- B
Change the GSI projection to ALL.
Why wrong: Changing projection to ALL increases write costs and may reduce the number of reads needed, but it does not increase the GSI's read capacity. Throttling would persist.
- C
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the GSI.
Correct. Throttling on a GSI indicates that the provisioned read capacity of that index is exhausted. Increasing its RCU alleviates throttling and reduces latency.
- D
Create a Local Secondary Index instead.
Why wrong: A Local Secondary Index shares the read capacity of the base table, which is already sufficient. However, it does not support queries across multiple partition keys as a GSI does, and may not solve the throttling issue.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to increase the read capacity units (RCU) on the Global Secondary Index. This is because a GSI has its own independent read capacity allocation, separate from the base table’s provisioned throughput. When you perform a Query against a GSI, DynamoDB consumes RCUs from the index itself, not the base table, so even if the base table has ample capacity, throttling and high latency on the index indicate a shortage of RCU specifically for that GSI. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that GSIs are independent throughput pools—a common trap is assuming the base table’s RCU covers index reads. Remember the memory tip: “Index reads need their own feeds”—each GSI must be provisioned separately to avoid throttling.
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.. 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 troubleshooting performance issues in an application that uses Amazon DynamoDB as the primary data store. The application reads a large set of items using a Query operation on a Global Secondary Index (GSI). The developer notices high read latency and throttled requests on the GSI. The base table has sufficient read capacity. The GSI is projected with KEYS_ONLY. Which action would most likely reduce the latency and throttling?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the GSI.
The correct answer is C because a Global Secondary Index (GSI) has its own provisioned read capacity, separate from the base table. When a Query operation reads from a GSI, it consumes RCUs from the GSI's capacity, not the base table's. Since the base table has sufficient read capacity but the GSI is experiencing throttling and high latency, increasing the GSI's RCU directly addresses the bottleneck by allowing more read requests per second against the index.
Key principle: Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the base table.
Why it's wrong here
The base table's RCU does not affect the GSI's read capacity. The GSI has its own provisioned capacity; throttling on the GSI is not resolved by changing the base table.
- ✗
Change the GSI projection to ALL.
Why it's wrong here
Changing projection to ALL increases write costs and may reduce the number of reads needed, but it does not increase the GSI's read capacity. Throttling would persist.
- ✓
Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the GSI.
Why this is correct
Correct. Throttling on a GSI indicates that the provisioned read capacity of that index is exhausted. Increasing its RCU alleviates throttling and reduces latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "most likely", "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.
- ✗
Create a Local Secondary Index instead.
Why it's wrong here
A Local Secondary Index shares the read capacity of the base table, which is already sufficient. However, it does not support queries across multiple partition keys as a GSI does, and may not solve the throttling issue.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume increasing the base table's capacity will resolve all read performance issues, failing to recognize that GSIs have independent capacity allocations and that throttling on a GSI requires adjusting the index's RCU, not the base table's.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, DynamoDB GSIs are essentially separate tables that are asynchronously updated; each GSI has its own provisioned throughput, and throttling occurs when requests exceed the GSI's RCU or WCU limits. A common real-world scenario is when a GSI with KEYS_ONLY projection is used for frequent queries that retrieve many items, but the index's RCU is set too low, causing throttled requests and increased latency as DynamoDB queues or rejects requests. Monitoring CloudWatch metrics like 'ThrottledRequests' for the specific GSI is critical for diagnosing this issue.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.
- GSI read capacity units (RCUs) are distinct from the base table's RCUs.
- Throttling on a GSI indicates its own RCUs are exhausted.
- Increasing GSI RCUs directly addresses GSI read performance issues.
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
Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput., then practise related DVA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Troubleshooting and Optimization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the read capacity units (RCU) of the GSI. — The correct answer is C because a Global Secondary Index (GSI) has its own provisioned read capacity, separate from the base table. When a Query operation reads from a GSI, it consumes RCUs from the GSI's capacity, not the base table's. Since the base table has sufficient read capacity but the GSI is experiencing throttling and high latency, increasing the GSI's RCU directly addresses the bottleneck by allowing more read requests per second against the index.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput., then practise related DVA-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely", "primary". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) have independent provisioned throughput.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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