Burst capacity in DynamoDB - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding Burst Capacity in DynamoDB

What does burst capacity in DynamoDB allow your table to do?

A Temporarily exceed the provisioned throughput limits to handle sudden traffic spikes.

B Encrypt data at rest without affecting performance.

C Store data in multiple regions simultaneously for faster access.

D Automatically increase the table size beyond the maximum limit.

💡 Hint

Think about how DynamoDB handles sudden increases in read/write requests.

Burst capacity lets DynamoDB tables temporarily use unused capacity from previous periods to handle sudden spikes in traffic without throttling.

❓ query_result

intermediate

Effect of Burst Capacity on Throttling

Given a DynamoDB table with provisioned write capacity of 100 units, which scenario best describes when burst capacity will prevent throttling?

A The table has unused write capacity credits from previous minutes and suddenly receives 150 write requests in one second.

B The table receives 200 write requests per second consistently for several hours.

C The table receives 50 write requests per second, well below provisioned capacity.

D The table is idle for a day and then receives 1000 write requests in one second.

💡 Hint

Consider how burst capacity uses unused credits accumulated over time.

Burst capacity allows temporary exceeding of provisioned throughput using credits from unused capacity. Scenario C fits this because the spike is short and credits exist.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Identifying Incorrect Burst Capacity Usage Explanation

Which of the following statements about DynamoDB burst capacity is incorrect?

A Burst capacity credits accumulate when the table uses less than its provisioned throughput.

B Burst capacity is only available for tables with provisioned throughput mode.

C Burst capacity helps reduce throttling during sudden traffic spikes.

D Burst capacity can be used indefinitely to handle high traffic without any limits.

💡 Hint

Think about whether burst capacity has limits or can be used forever.

Burst capacity is limited by the amount of unused capacity credits accumulated; it cannot be used indefinitely.

❓ optimization

advanced

Optimizing Table Performance Using Burst Capacity

You have a DynamoDB table with variable traffic: low most of the day but occasional high spikes. Which strategy best uses burst capacity to optimize costs and performance?

A Use on-demand capacity mode to automatically handle spikes without provisioning.

B Provision throughput lower than peak traffic and rely on burst capacity for spikes.

C Provision throughput to match the highest expected traffic spike to avoid throttling.

D Disable burst capacity to prevent unpredictable performance.

💡 Hint

Consider cost savings and how burst capacity helps with spikes.

Provisioning lower throughput and relying on burst capacity for short spikes saves cost while handling traffic bursts effectively.

🔧 Debug

expert

Diagnosing Unexpected Throttling Despite Burst Capacity

A DynamoDB table with provisioned read capacity of 200 units is experiencing throttling during a sudden spike of 300 read requests per second. The table was idle before the spike. What is the most likely reason burst capacity did not prevent throttling?

A Burst capacity only applies to write operations, not read operations.

B The spike was too small to trigger burst capacity usage.

C The table had no accumulated burst capacity credits because it was idle before the spike.

D The table was using on-demand mode, so burst capacity is irrelevant.

💡 Hint

Think about how burst capacity credits accumulate and when they are available.

Burst capacity credits accumulate when the table uses less than provisioned throughput. If the table was idle, no credits were available to handle the spike.