The answer is to set up Amazon RDS Proxy to manage the database connections from Lambda. This is correct because the Lambda function creates a new database connection for each invocation, quickly exhausting the PostgreSQL `max_connections` limit of 200, as shown by the `DatabaseConnections` metric hitting 195 and the `FATAL: remaining connection slots` error. RDS Proxy sits between Lambda and RDS, efficiently pooling and reusing connections, which prevents the database from being overwhelmed by Lambda’s short-lived, concurrent invocations. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how serverless compute and relational databases interact, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly increase `max_connections` or reduce concurrency instead of addressing the connection management pattern. A common memory tip is to think of RDS Proxy as a “bouncer” for your database—it controls the door so Lambda’s many guests don’t crowd out the reserved slots.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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 has an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL database that is experiencing intermittent connection timeouts. The application logs show 'FATAL: remaining connection slots are reserved for non-replication superuser connections'. The database has a max_connections parameter set to 200. The application uses a connection pool. The DBA checks the CloudWatch metric 'DatabaseConnections' and sees it at 195 during peak hours. The application is deployed on AWS Lambda with a provisioned concurrency of 100. The Lambda function creates a new connection for each invocation. What should the DBA do to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set up Amazon RDS Proxy to manage the database connections from Lambda.
Option A is correct because the Lambda function creates new connections, exhausting the pool. Using RDS Proxy manages connections efficiently. Option B is wrong because increasing max_connections may cause resource contention. Option C is wrong because reducing provisioned concurrency may not solve the root cause. Option D is wrong because decreasing max_connections would worsen the issue.
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.
✗
Reduce the Lambda provisioned concurrency to 50.
Why it's wrong here
This may not be enough and doesn't address connection management.
✗
Increase max_connections to 500 to accommodate more connections.
Why it's wrong here
More connections may overload the database.
✓
Set up Amazon RDS Proxy to manage the database connections from Lambda.
Why this is correct
RDS Proxy pools connections and reduces the number of connections needed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Decrease max_connections to 100 to reserve more slots.
Why it's wrong here
This would make the problem worse.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DBS-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.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up Amazon RDS Proxy to manage the database connections from Lambda. — Option A is correct because the Lambda function creates new connections, exhausting the pool. Using RDS Proxy manages connections efficiently. Option B is wrong because increasing max_connections may cause resource contention. Option C is wrong because reducing provisioned concurrency may not solve the root cause. Option D is wrong because decreasing max_connections would worsen the issue.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-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.
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This DBS-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 DBS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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