The correct answer is to increase the instance size to a larger class with higher IOPS limits. This directly resolves the bottleneck because DocumentDB instances have a maximum baseline IOPS tied to their instance size; when the Write IOPS metric consistently hits that ceiling, write latency spikes as requests queue up. By moving to a larger instance, you raise the IOPS ceiling, allowing the database to process more write operations per second without throttling. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that DocumentDB’s performance is often I/O-bound, not memory-bound, and that scaling storage or enabling Multi-AZ does not increase the primary’s write IOPS capacity. A common trap is confusing storage type (gp2/gp3) IOPS with instance-level IOPS—storage changes affect throughput, not the instance’s baseline limit. Memory tip: “IOPS capped? Instance size mapped.”
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 is running a MongoDB-compatible Amazon DocumentDB cluster. The application experiences high write latency during peak hours. The database administrator checks the CloudWatch metrics and notices that the Write IOPS metric is consistently at the maximum for the instance size. What should the administrator do to reduce write latency?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the instance size to a larger instance class with higher IOPS limits.
Option A is correct because increasing the instance size provides more IOPS capacity, which can reduce write latency if the instance is hitting IOPS limits. Option B is incorrect because enabling Multi-AZ adds a standby but does not increase write IOPS capacity on the primary. Option C is incorrect because increasing the storage size may increase IOPS if using gp2 but not necessarily, and the issue is IOPS, not storage capacity. Option D is incorrect because the instance class is already optimized for memory; the issue is I/O, not memory.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Increase the instance size to a larger instance class with higher IOPS limits.
Why this is correct
Larger instance classes have higher baseline IOPS and burst IOPS, reducing write latency.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Switch to a memory-optimized instance class.
Why it's wrong here
Memory optimization does not directly increase IOPS; the issue is I/O, not memory.
✗
Increase the allocated storage size to improve I/O performance.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing storage may improve I/O for gp2 volumes but does not directly increase the instance's IOPS limit.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ deployment to offload writes to the standby.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides high availability but does not increase write IOPS on the primary; writes are still handled by the primary.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the instance size to a larger instance class with higher IOPS limits. — Option A is correct because increasing the instance size provides more IOPS capacity, which can reduce write latency if the instance is hitting IOPS limits. Option B is incorrect because enabling Multi-AZ adds a standby but does not increase write IOPS capacity on the primary. Option C is incorrect because increasing the storage size may increase IOPS if using gp2 but not necessarily, and the issue is IOPS, not storage capacity. Option D is incorrect because the instance class is already optimized for memory; the issue is I/O, not memory.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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