The answer is to create an Amazon RDS read replica and direct read traffic to it. This solution is correct because a read replica is an asynchronous copy of the primary database that can handle SELECT queries, effectively offloading read traffic without requiring any changes to the application code—the application simply needs to point its read operations to the replica’s endpoint. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of scaling strategies for managed databases, often appearing alongside traps like ElastiCache (which demands code modifications) or Multi-AZ (which only provides failover, not read scaling). A common mistake is confusing read replicas with Multi-AZ deployments; remember that replicas scale reads, while Multi-AZ ensures availability. Memory tip: “Replicas for reads, Multi-AZ for needs”—if your goal is to reduce read load without touching code, think replicas first.
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. 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.
A company is using an Amazon RDS for MySQL database for an e-commerce application. During a sales event, the database experiences high read traffic, causing slow query performance. The company wants to reduce the read load on the primary database without changing the application code. Which solution meets these requirements?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an Amazon RDS read replica and direct read traffic to it.
Option B is correct because an RDS read replica offloads read queries from the primary DB without application changes. Option A is wrong because ElastiCache requires code changes to cache queries. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ is for high availability, not read scaling. Option D is wrong because increasing instance size helps but may require downtime and is less efficient.
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.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
✓
Create an Amazon RDS read replica and direct read traffic to it.
Why this is correct
Read replicas handle read-only traffic, reducing load on the primary.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the instance size of the RDS database.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up helps but may cause downtime and is less cost-effective.
✗
Deploy Amazon ElastiCache to cache query results.
Why it's wrong here
Requires application code changes to use the cache.
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
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 DEA-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.
Data Store Management — This question tests Data Store Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an Amazon RDS read replica and direct read traffic to it. — Option B is correct because an RDS read replica offloads read queries from the primary DB without application changes. Option A is wrong because ElastiCache requires code changes to cache queries. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ is for high availability, not read scaling. Option D is wrong because increasing instance size helps but may require downtime and is less efficient.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer needs to set up a new Amazon RDS for MySQL database for a web application. The application experiences variable read traffic and requires low read latency. The engineer needs to minimize downtime during maintenance and provide read scalability. Which configuration meets these requirements?
easy
✓ A.Multi-AZ db.r5.large instance with two Read Replicas
B.Multi-AZ db.r5.large instance
C.Single-AZ db.r5.large instance
D.Single-AZ db.r5.xlarge instance
Why A: Option A is correct because a Multi-AZ deployment provides high availability and automatic failover to minimize downtime during maintenance, while adding two Read Replicas offloads read traffic from the primary instance, reducing read latency and enabling read scalability. The db.r5.large instance size is sufficient for the variable read workload, and Read Replicas can be promoted to standalone instances if needed.
Variation 2. A company runs a critical application on Amazon RDS for MySQL. To ensure high availability and automatic failover, the database is deployed as a Multi-AZ DB instance. The application uses read-heavy workloads. Which additional configuration should be used to offload read traffic without impacting write performance?
medium
A.Use the Multi-AZ standby instance for read queries.
✓ B.Create one or more Read Replicas in different AZs.
C.Use Amazon ElastiCache to cache read queries.
D.Change to a Single-AZ deployment with a larger instance size.
Why B: Option C is correct because Read Replicas can serve read traffic and reduce load on the primary instance, while Multi-AZ provides high availability. Option A (Multi-AZ for reads) does not offload reads; the standby is not used for reads. Option B (single AZ with larger instance) does not provide high availability. Option D (ElastiCache) caches data but does not serve read replicas for complex queries.
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This DEA-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 DEA-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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