- A
Increase the RCUs and WCUs of the table to 50 each
Why wrong: This may reduce throttling temporarily, but if traffic spikes beyond 50, throttling will recur. It also requires ongoing management of capacity, whereas on-demand is simpler.
- B
Switch the DynamoDB table to on-demand capacity mode
On-demand mode automatically scales read and write capacity based on traffic. This eliminates throttling caused by insufficient provisioned capacity and requires no capacity planning.
- C
Implement a DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) cluster for caching reads
Why wrong: DAX helps reduce read latency and offload read capacity from the table, but it does not solve write throttling. The error includes writes, and DAX does not help with writes.
- D
Increase Lambda function memory to 1024 MB
Why wrong: Increasing memory improves CPU and network performance but does not affect DynamoDB capacity limits. It will not reduce throttling errors caused by DynamoDB.
How to Fix DynamoDB Write Throttling Errors
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 running an AWS Lambda function that is triggered by Amazon S3 events. The function writes processed data to an Amazon DynamoDB table. Over time, the function's execution time has increased significantly. CloudWatch Logs show many DynamoDBProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors. The table is configured with 5 read capacity units (RCUs) and 5 write capacity units (WCUs). The function performs both reads and writes. Which optimization will MOST effectively reduce throttling errors while maintaining performance?
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
Switch the DynamoDB table to on-demand capacity mode
The DynamoDBProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors indicate that the Lambda function is exceeding the provisioned write capacity of 5 WCUs. Switching to on-demand capacity mode eliminates the need to manage throughput, automatically scaling to handle the workload without throttling. This directly resolves the root cause—capacity exhaustion—without requiring manual adjustments or architectural 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.
- ✗
Increase the RCUs and WCUs of the table to 50 each
Why it's wrong here
This may reduce throttling temporarily, but if traffic spikes beyond 50, throttling will recur. It also requires ongoing management of capacity, whereas on-demand is simpler.
- ✓
Switch the DynamoDB table to on-demand capacity mode
Why this is correct
On-demand mode automatically scales read and write capacity based on traffic. This eliminates throttling caused by insufficient provisioned capacity and requires no capacity planning.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Implement a DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) cluster for caching reads
Why it's wrong here
DAX helps reduce read latency and offload read capacity from the table, but it does not solve write throttling. The error includes writes, and DAX does not help with writes.
- ✗
Increase Lambda function memory to 1024 MB
Why it's wrong here
Increasing memory improves CPU and network performance but does not affect DynamoDB capacity limits. It will not reduce throttling errors caused by DynamoDB.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse read throttling with write throttling and reach for DAX (a read cache) or assume that increasing Lambda resources will solve database-level throughput issues, when the real fix is to match the database capacity mode to the workload pattern.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
On-demand capacity mode uses a 'pay-per-request' model where DynamoDB automatically scales up to the previous peak traffic plus a buffer, eliminating the need to forecast capacity. However, it has a per-account throughput limit (default 40,000 RCU/WCU per table) and can be more expensive for steady-state workloads. In this scenario, the unpredictable spikes from S3 event triggers make on-demand a cost-effective choice because you only pay for actual requests, avoiding over-provisioning.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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?
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Switch the DynamoDB table to on-demand capacity mode — The DynamoDBProvisionedThroughputExceededException errors indicate that the Lambda function is exceeding the provisioned write capacity of 5 WCUs. Switching to on-demand capacity mode eliminates the need to manage throughput, automatically scaling to handle the workload without throttling. This directly resolves the root cause—capacity exhaustion—without requiring manual adjustments or architectural 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: Jun 11, 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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