- A
Use Redshift Spectrum to create external tables and run the transformations directly in Redshift, bypassing the Glue job.
Why wrong: Redshift Spectrum can query S3 but the complex transformations would still need to be executed, potentially slower than Glue.
- B
Increase the Redshift cluster to a multi-node cluster with dc2.8xlarge nodes to improve COPY and query performance.
More nodes increase parallelism for loading and any post-load transformations.
- C
Split the Glue job into multiple parallel jobs that each load a portion of the data into separate Redshift tables, then use UNION ALL views.
Why wrong: This adds complexity and does not necessarily reduce total time if the Redshift cluster is the bottleneck.
- D
Stage the data in S3 in Parquet format and use a COPY command with the PARQUET option to load data faster.
Why wrong: This reduces load time but the transformation time in Glue remains the same.
Quick Answer
The answer is to increase the Redshift cluster to a multi-node configuration with dc2.8xlarge nodes, as this directly reduces AWS Glue load time to Redshift by scaling the cluster. By adding more nodes or using a larger node type, you increase the parallelism available for the COPY command and any subsequent query processing, which is the primary bottleneck when moving 200 GB of data nightly. On the AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty MLS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that Redshift’s performance is often limited by compute resources, not storage, and that scaling the cluster is the most direct way to speed up Glue to Redshift loads. A common trap is assuming that staging data in S3 or using Redshift Spectrum will solve transformation delays, but those approaches do not address the compute-bound COPY and join operations. Remember the memory tip: “More nodes, more speed—COPY needs compute, not just storage.”
MLS-C01 Data Engineering Practice Question
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. 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 company uses AWS Glue to run ETL jobs that process data from Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and load it into Amazon Redshift. The Glue job runs nightly and takes 6 hours to complete. The Redshift cluster is a single dc2.large node. The team needs to reduce the load time to under 3 hours. The data volume is 200 GB per night. The team is considering using Amazon Redshift Spectrum to query data directly from S3 instead of loading it. However, the data transformation logic is complex and requires multiple joins and aggregations that are currently performed in Glue. Which approach should the team recommend to meet the time requirement?
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 Redshift cluster to a multi-node cluster with dc2.8xlarge nodes to improve COPY and query performance.
Option C is correct because increasing the node size or number of nodes provides more compute resources for the COPY command and any subsequent processing. Using a larger node type like dc2.8xlarge or adding nodes increases parallelism. Option A is wrong because Redshift Spectrum does not replace the transformation logic; the complex transformations would still need to be run, possibly in Glue or Redshift. Option B is wrong because staging data in S3 does not reduce the transformation time. Option D is wrong because using a single node with elastic resize is not possible for dc2; also, splitting the load does not reduce total time if the bottleneck is compute.
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 Redshift Spectrum to create external tables and run the transformations directly in Redshift, bypassing the Glue job.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift Spectrum can query S3 but the complex transformations would still need to be executed, potentially slower than Glue.
- ✓
Increase the Redshift cluster to a multi-node cluster with dc2.8xlarge nodes to improve COPY and query performance.
Why this is correct
More nodes increase parallelism for loading and any post-load transformations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Split the Glue job into multiple parallel jobs that each load a portion of the data into separate Redshift tables, then use UNION ALL views.
Why it's wrong here
This adds complexity and does not necessarily reduce total time if the Redshift cluster is the bottleneck.
- ✗
Stage the data in S3 in Parquet format and use a COPY command with the PARQUET option to load data faster.
Why it's wrong here
This reduces load time but the transformation time in Glue remains the same.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MLS-C01 question test?
Data Engineering — This question tests Data Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the Redshift cluster to a multi-node cluster with dc2.8xlarge nodes to improve COPY and query performance. — Option C is correct because increasing the node size or number of nodes provides more compute resources for the COPY command and any subsequent processing. Using a larger node type like dc2.8xlarge or adding nodes increases parallelism. Option A is wrong because Redshift Spectrum does not replace the transformation logic; the complex transformations would still need to be run, possibly in Glue or Redshift. Option B is wrong because staging data in S3 does not reduce the transformation time. Option D is wrong because using a single node with elastic resize is not possible for dc2; also, splitting the load does not reduce total time if the bottleneck is compute.
What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which MLS-C01 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This MLS-C01 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 MLS-C01 exam.
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