The answer is to enable Enhanced Monitoring to identify the source of high CPU usage. This is correct because Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics for Amazon RDS MySQL, such as process list and thread states, which pinpoint exactly which query or operation is consuming CPU cycles—unlike CloudWatch, which only shows aggregate utilization. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to choose diagnostic steps over reactive fixes; a common trap is jumping to scale up the instance (Option A) without first isolating the root cause, which wastes cost and may not solve the problem. Remember that high CPU in RDS MySQL often stems from inefficient queries, locking, or connection storms, and Enhanced Monitoring gives you the granularity to see these at the OS level. Memory tip: “Don’t guess, just enhance”—always gather OS-level data before changing resources.
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 is running an Amazon RDS for MySQL database. The application team reports that the database is slow. Upon investigation, you notice that the DB instance's CPU utilization is consistently above 90%. Which initial troubleshooting step should you take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable Enhanced Monitoring to identify the source of high CPU usage.
Option B is correct because enabling Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics that can help identify resource bottlenecks. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size without diagnosis may not address the root cause. Option C is wrong because switching storage type does not reduce CPU load. Option D is wrong because deleting slow query logs removes diagnostic data.
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.
✗
Increase the DB instance size to improve performance.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling without analysis may not solve the issue.
✓
Enable Enhanced Monitoring to identify the source of high CPU usage.
Why this is correct
Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics to diagnose CPU bottlenecks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Delete the slow query logs to reduce I/O.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting logs does not affect CPU utilization.
✗
Change the storage type from General Purpose (gp2) to Provisioned IOPS (io1).
Why it's wrong here
Storage type change does not reduce CPU usage.
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 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.
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: Enable Enhanced Monitoring to identify the source of high CPU usage. — Option B is correct because enabling Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics that can help identify resource bottlenecks. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size without diagnosis may not address the root cause. Option C is wrong because switching storage type does not reduce CPU load. Option D is wrong because deleting slow query logs removes diagnostic data.
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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