The answer is to create one or more read replicas and redirect read traffic to them. This configuration directly reduces read IOPS on Amazon RDS for MySQL because read replicas offload SELECT queries from the primary DB instance, shifting the read I/O workload to separate, asynchronous replicas. Since the application is read-heavy and the Read IOPS metric spikes during business hours, distributing read traffic to replicas alleviates the I/O bottleneck on the primary without requiring a larger instance or storage changes. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of horizontal read scaling versus vertical scaling—a common trap is choosing a larger instance type, which does not reduce IOPS but only increases capacity. Remember the memory tip: “Replicas for reads, primary for writes” to quickly eliminate wrong answers that suggest scaling up storage or instance size.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 Amazon RDS for MySQL and notices that the Read IOPS metric is consistently high during business hours. The application is read-heavy. Which configuration change would most likely reduce Read IOPS?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create one or more read replicas and redirect read traffic to them.
Creating read replicas offloads read queries from the primary DB instance to replica instances, directly reducing the number of read I/O operations on the primary. Since the application is read-heavy and Read IOPS is high during business hours, distributing read traffic to replicas alleviates the I/O bottleneck on the primary instance without requiring a larger instance or storage changes.
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.
✗
Add a Multi-AZ standby instance.
Why it's wrong here
A Multi-AZ standby is for high availability and disaster recovery, not for read offloading.
✓
Create one or more read replicas and redirect read traffic to them.
Why this is correct
Read replicas handle read queries from the primary, reducing read IOPS on the source instance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the DB instance size to a larger instance type.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing instance size may improve throughput but does not directly reduce the number of read IOPS; the workload remains.
✗
Enable storage Auto Scaling on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Storage Auto Scaling only adjusts storage capacity, not IOPS.
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, assuming a standby instance can handle read traffic, but in RDS for MySQL, Multi-AZ standby is passive and does not serve reads.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon RDS read replicas use MySQL's asynchronous replication to maintain a copy of the primary database. Read traffic redirected to replicas reduces the primary's IOPS consumption, which is measured at the EBS volume level. In a real-world scenario, if the application performs many small random reads (e.g., from an ORM), offloading even 50% of reads can significantly lower the primary's IOPS and improve latency for write operations.
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
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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Create one or more read replicas and redirect read traffic to them. — Creating read replicas offloads read queries from the primary DB instance to replica instances, directly reducing the number of read I/O operations on the primary. Since the application is read-heavy and Read IOPS is high during business hours, distributing read traffic to replicas alleviates the I/O bottleneck on the primary instance without requiring a larger instance or storage changes.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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