- A
It automatically scales the database read capacity to handle traffic spikes.
Why wrong: This describes a read replica or Auto Scaling, not a Multi-AZ deployment. Multi-AZ does not scale read capacity; the standby is used only for failover, not to serve read traffic.
- B
It automatically fails over to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone if the primary instance fails.
This is the primary benefit of Multi-AZ. A synchronous standby is maintained in another AZ, and failover happens automatically to ensure high availability.
- C
It creates read replicas in multiple Regions to reduce latency for global users.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ does not involve multiple Regions. Cross-Region read replicas are a separate feature used for disaster recovery and global read scaling.
- D
It encrypts data at rest using AWS KMS without any additional configuration.
Why wrong: Encryption at rest is an independent feature that must be explicitly enabled when the DB instance is created. Multi-AZ does not automatically enable encryption.
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 runs an e-commerce application using Amazon RDS for MySQL. The database stores order and customer information. To achieve high availability, the company configures a Multi-AZ deployment. Which of the following describes a benefit of this configuration?
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
It automatically fails over to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone if the primary instance fails.
Option B is correct because a Multi-AZ deployment for Amazon RDS automatically synchronously replicates data to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. If the primary instance fails (due to hardware failure, AZ outage, or patching), Amazon RDS automatically performs a failover to the standby, promoting it to become the new primary. This provides high availability by minimizing downtime without requiring manual intervention.
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.
- ✗
It automatically scales the database read capacity to handle traffic spikes.
Why it's wrong here
This describes a read replica or Auto Scaling, not a Multi-AZ deployment. Multi-AZ does not scale read capacity; the standby is used only for failover, not to serve read traffic.
- ✓
It automatically fails over to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone if the primary instance fails.
Why this is correct
This is the primary benefit of Multi-AZ. A synchronous standby is maintained in another AZ, and failover happens automatically to ensure high availability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
It creates read replicas in multiple Regions to reduce latency for global users.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ does not involve multiple Regions. Cross-Region read replicas are a separate feature used for disaster recovery and global read scaling.
- ✗
It encrypts data at rest using AWS KMS without any additional configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest is an independent feature that must be explicitly enabled when the DB instance is created. Multi-AZ does not automatically enable encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ deployments with Read Replicas, assuming Multi-AZ provides read scaling or cross-Region benefits, when in fact it only provides high availability within a single Region.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Multi-AZ uses synchronous replication to the standby instance, meaning every write transaction is committed on both the primary and standby before being acknowledged to the application. This ensures zero data loss during failover (RPO of 0), but does not increase write latency significantly because replication occurs within the same AWS Region. In a real-world scenario, if the primary instance's Availability Zone experiences a power outage, the DNS record for the DB endpoint is automatically updated to point to the standby, and the application reconnects with minimal interruption (typically 60-120 seconds).
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.
- →
Cloud Technology and Services — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CLF-C02 questions
1,024 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CLF-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CLF-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Cloud Concepts practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Concepts.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Technology and Services.
Billing, Pricing, and Support practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Billing, Pricing, and Support.
AWS shared responsibility model practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS shared responsibility model.
AWS IAM practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS IAM.
AWS pricing practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS pricing.
AWS support plans practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS support plans.
AWS S3 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS S3.
AWS EC2 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS EC2.
Practice this exam
Start a free CLF-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It automatically fails over to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone if the primary instance fails. — Option B is correct because a Multi-AZ deployment for Amazon RDS automatically synchronously replicates data to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. If the primary instance fails (due to hardware failure, AZ outage, or patching), Amazon RDS automatically performs a failover to the standby, promoting it to become the new primary. This provides high availability by minimizing downtime without requiring manual intervention.
What should I do if I get this CLF-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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More CLF-C02 practice questions
- A company publishes a message each time a new product is added to its catalogue. Three services need to receive this mes…
- A media company stores frequently accessed video thumbnails in Amazon S3. The thumbnails are read multiple times every d…
- A company needs a service to translate domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses, check the health of their…
- A startup runs an application on AWS and receives a monthly bill that charges exactly for the number of compute hours us…
- A financial institution runs its core banking application on-premises due to regulatory requirements. It has connected i…
- A company wants to run a MySQL database in AWS without managing database software installation, applying patches, settin…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-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 CLF-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.