DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 designing a new application that requires a relational database with read replicas for reporting. The application has unpredictable traffic patterns. The company wants to minimize operational overhead and automatically scale compute capacity. Which THREE services should the company consider?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with read replicas
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with read replicas is correct because it supports up to 15 read replicas for offloading reporting workloads, and with Multi-AZ deployment, it can automatically failover to a standby instance. However, for automatic scaling of compute capacity, you would need to combine it with a scaling solution like Aurora or use RDS for PostgreSQL with a manual scaling process, but the question specifically asks for automatic scaling, which is better addressed by Aurora Serverless v2. The read replicas provide the necessary separation for reporting without impacting the primary database.
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 DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX)
Why it's wrong here
DAX is a caching layer for DynamoDB, not a relational database.
✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides availability but not automatic scaling of compute.
✓
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with read replicas
Why this is correct
RDS for PostgreSQL supports read replicas, but does not auto-scale compute; however, it is a valid option if combined with other services.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Amazon RDS Proxy
Why this is correct
RDS Proxy manages connections and can help with unpredictable traffic, but it is not a database service.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ with read replicas, thinking Multi-AZ provides read scaling, but Multi-AZ only provides a standby for failover, not read endpoints.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora Serverless v2 automatically scales compute capacity in ACU increments (from 0.5 to 128 ACUs) based on workload, scaling to zero when idle, and supports up to 15 read replicas for reporting. RDS Proxy manages connection pooling for Lambda and other applications, reducing database load from connection storms, which is critical for unpredictable traffic patterns. Under the hood, Aurora uses a distributed storage volume with 6 copies across 3 AZs, enabling fast failover and read replica promotion.
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.
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with read replicas — Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with read replicas is correct because it supports up to 15 read replicas for offloading reporting workloads, and with Multi-AZ deployment, it can automatically failover to a standby instance. However, for automatic scaling of compute capacity, you would need to combine it with a scaling solution like Aurora or use RDS for PostgreSQL with a manual scaling process, but the question specifically asks for automatic scaling, which is better addressed by Aurora Serverless v2. The read replicas provide the necessary separation for reporting without impacting the primary database.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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