- A
Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)
Why wrong: DocumentDB is a document database, not ideal for high-throughput key-value access.
- B
Amazon ElastiCache
ElastiCache (Redis or Memcached) provides in-memory caching for low latency.
- C
Amazon DynamoDB
DynamoDB provides single-digit millisecond latency and auto-scaling throughput.
- D
Amazon Aurora
Why wrong: Aurora is a relational database with higher latency for high-throughput scenarios.
- E
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: RDS is relational and less scalable for high-throughput global applications.
Question 207 of 1,746
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. 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 is designing a new database solution for a global e-commerce application. The database must support high read and write throughput with single-digit millisecond latency. The company expects traffic spikes during peak hours. Which TWO AWS services should the company consider?
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
✓
Amazon ElastiCache
Amazon ElastiCache provides an in-memory caching layer (e.g., Redis or Memcached) that can absorb read-heavy traffic spikes with sub-millisecond latency, offloading reads from the primary database. Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database that delivers consistent single-digit millisecond latency at any scale, supports auto-scaling for traffic spikes, and handles high write throughput via its distributed architecture.
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.
- ✗
Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)
Why it's wrong here
DocumentDB is a document database, not ideal for high-throughput key-value access.
- ✓
Amazon ElastiCache
Why this is correct
ElastiCache (Redis or Memcached) provides in-memory caching for low latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB
Why this is correct
DynamoDB provides single-digit millisecond latency and auto-scaling throughput.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon Aurora
Why it's wrong here
Aurora is a relational database with higher latency for high-throughput scenarios.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
RDS is relational and less scalable for high-throughput global applications.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Amazon Aurora or RDS for MySQL because they are familiar with SQL databases, but they overlook the requirement for single-digit millisecond latency and high throughput under spikes, which in-memory caching and NoSQL solutions like ElastiCache and DynamoDB are specifically designed to meet.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Aurora is a relational database with higher latency for high-throughput scenarios.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ElastiCache for Redis uses in-memory data structures and replication to achieve sub-millisecond response times, and it supports features like read replicas and cluster mode for scaling. DynamoDB uses SSD-backed storage and automatic partitioning to distribute data across multiple nodes, ensuring consistent performance via its internal hashing and replication mechanisms. In a real-world scenario, a global e-commerce site might use ElastiCache to cache product catalog data and DynamoDB to store session state or order records, handling millions of requests per second during flash sales.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon ElastiCache — Amazon ElastiCache provides an in-memory caching layer (e.g., Redis or Memcached) that can absorb read-heavy traffic spikes with sub-millisecond latency, offloading reads from the primary database. Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database that delivers consistent single-digit millisecond latency at any scale, supports auto-scaling for traffic spikes, and handles high write throughput via its distributed architecture.
What should I do if I get this SAP-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 SAP-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 SAP-C02 exam.
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