Quick Answer
The correct answer is the DAX CacheHitLatency metric. When DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) is enabled, all read requests are routed through the DAX cluster first, so the latency your application actually experiences is the DAX cache hit latency—the time DAX takes to return a cached item. Monitoring DynamoDB’s native read latency would miss this entirely, as that metric reflects only backend table reads that bypass the cache. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that DAX acts as an in-memory front-end, shifting the latency measurement point from the table to the cache layer. A common trap is confusing cache hit count (a volume metric) with latency (a duration metric), or defaulting to DynamoDB’s own latency metrics. Remember the key distinction: with DAX, you monitor the cache, not the table. A useful mnemonic is “DAX Delivers Data—monitor its Delay, not the Database’s.”
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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.
An e-commerce platform uses Amazon DynamoDB as its primary database. During a flash sale, the application experienced high read latency. The DevOps team wants to set up CloudWatch alarms to detect high read latency proactively. The team has enabled DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) for caching. Which metric should the team use to create a CloudWatch alarm for read latency?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
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.
DAX's CacheHitCount metric.
Why wrong: This is a count, not latency.
DynamoDB's ConsumedReadCapacityUnits metric.
Why wrong: This is throughput, not latency.
DAX's CacheHitLatency metric.
This metric measures the latency of cache hits from DAX.
DynamoDB's SuccessfulRequestLatency metric for GetItem operations.
Why wrong: This metric reflects DynamoDB latency, not DAX latency.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
DAX's CacheHitLatency metric.
Option C is correct. With DAX enabled, the application reads from DAX, so the relevant latency metric is the DAX cache hit latency. Option A is incorrect because DynamoDB read latency does not reflect DAX caching. Option B is incorrect because DynamoDB consumed read capacity is not a latency metric. Option D is incorrect because DAX cache hit count is a count, not a latency measure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
DAX's CacheHitCount metric.
Why it's wrong here
This is a count, not latency.
DynamoDB's ConsumedReadCapacityUnits metric.
Why it's wrong here
This is throughput, not latency.
DAX's CacheHitLatency metric.
Why this is correct
This metric measures the latency of cache hits from DAX.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
DynamoDB's SuccessfulRequestLatency metric for GetItem operations.
Why it's wrong here
This metric reflects DynamoDB latency, not DAX latency.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. 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
Identify which DOP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Monitoring and Logging — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Monitoring and Logging — This question tests Monitoring and Logging — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: DAX's CacheHitLatency metric. — Option C is correct. With DAX enabled, the application reads from DAX, so the relevant latency metric is the DAX cache hit latency. Option A is incorrect because DynamoDB read latency does not reflect DAX caching. Option B is incorrect because DynamoDB consumed read capacity is not a latency metric. Option D is incorrect because DAX cache hit count is a count, not a latency measure.
Identify which DOP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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