← DBS-C01·Amazon Web Services

Question 1,358 of 1,730

Management and Operations →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct choice is to enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas and offload read-only queries to replicas. This works because deadlocks in Aurora MySQL typically arise from read-write contention on the primary instance, where concurrent transactions compete for the same row or table locks. By routing read traffic to Aurora Replicas, you reduce the number of overlapping transactions on the primary, directly lowering the probability of lock conflicts and transaction rollbacks. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Aurora’s shared storage architecture allows replicas to serve reads without blocking writes on the primary—a key differentiator from traditional MySQL replication. A common trap is assuming you need to increase the primary instance size or change isolation levels, but offloading reads is the targeted, scalable solution. Memory tip: “Reads off the primary, deadlocks on the run.”

DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question

This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 runs an Amazon Aurora MySQL database cluster with a primary instance and two Aurora Replicas. The application is experiencing occasional deadlocks on the primary instance during peak hours. The deadlocks cause transaction rollbacks that impact customer experience. Which design change should the company implement to minimize deadlocks?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas and offload read-only queries to replicas.
Reducing read load on the primary instance decreases lock contention and the likelihood of deadlocks.
B
Set the transaction isolation level to READ UNCOMMITTED to avoid locks.
Why wrong: READ UNCOMMITTED is not supported in Aurora MySQL and would cause dirty reads, not recommended for deadlock prevention.
C
Configure Multi-AZ deployment to automatically failover during deadlocks.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ is already inherent in Aurora; failover does not prevent deadlocks.
D
Increase the DB instance class size to handle more concurrent transactions.
Why wrong: While larger instances can handle more load, deadlocks are often due to locking order or contention, not just capacity.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas and offload read-only queries to replicas.

Option A is correct because offloading read-only queries to Aurora Replicas reduces the volume of read-write contention on the primary instance. Deadlocks often arise when concurrent transactions compete for the same resources; by directing read traffic to replicas, the primary handles fewer overlapping transactions, lowering the probability of lock conflicts. Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume and serve read traffic without blocking writes on the primary, making this a targeted solution for deadlock reduction.

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.

✓
Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas and offload read-only queries to replicas.
Why this is correct
Reducing read load on the primary instance decreases lock contention and the likelihood of deadlocks.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "primary", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Set the transaction isolation level to READ UNCOMMITTED to avoid locks.
Why it's wrong here
READ UNCOMMITTED is not supported in Aurora MySQL and would cause dirty reads, not recommended for deadlock prevention.
✗
Configure Multi-AZ deployment to automatically failover during deadlocks.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ is already inherent in Aurora; failover does not prevent deadlocks.
✗
Increase the DB instance class size to handle more concurrent transactions.
Why it's wrong here
While larger instances can handle more load, deadlocks are often due to locking order or contention, not just capacity.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates may assume increasing instance size (Option D) is the universal fix for performance issues, but deadlocks are a concurrency control problem, not a capacity problem, and scaling up can actually worsen contention by allowing more simultaneous transactions.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Aurora uses a distributed storage system where the primary instance holds the writer endpoint, and replicas connect to the same storage volume. Deadlocks in InnoDB (Aurora MySQL's engine) occur when two or more transactions hold locks needed by each other; the database automatically detects the deadlock and rolls back one transaction. Offloading reads to replicas reduces the number of transactions on the primary that acquire shared locks (e.g., SELECT ... FOR SHARE), which can otherwise conflict with exclusive locks from writes, thereby lowering deadlock frequency.

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.

Related DBS-C01 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Workload-Specific Database Design practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.

Deployment and Migration practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.

Management and Operations practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.

Database Security practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.

DBS-C01 fundamentals practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.

DBS-C01 scenario practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.

DBS-C01 troubleshooting practice questions

Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.

Practice this exam

Start a free DBS-C01 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

DBS-C01 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DBS-C01 question test?

Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas and offload read-only queries to replicas. — Option A is correct because offloading read-only queries to Aurora Replicas reduces the volume of read-write contention on the primary instance. Deadlocks often arise when concurrent transactions compete for the same resources; by directing read traffic to replicas, the primary handles fewer overlapping transactions, lowering the probability of lock conflicts. Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume and serve read traffic without blocking writes on the primary, making this a targeted solution for deadlock reduction.

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: "primary", "minimum / minimize". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on DBS-C01

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. A company is running an Amazon Aurora MySQL-compatible edition DB cluster. The application reports that a recent schema change caused a significant increase in the number of deadlocks. Which parameter should the DBA check and possibly adjust to reduce deadlocks?

easy

✓ A.innodb_lock_wait_timeout
B.autocommit
C.max_connections
D.transaction_isolation

Why A: Option C is correct. The innodb_lock_wait_timeout controls how long a transaction waits for a lock before rolling back. Reducing it can help avoid long waits, but deadlocks are often resolved by MySQL automatically; adjusting this parameter may not directly reduce deadlocks but can help. Actually, for deadlocks, the best practice is to examine the application logic. However, among the options, innodb_lock_wait_timeout is relevant. Option A is wrong because transaction isolation level affects concurrency but not deadlocks directly. Option B is wrong because max_connections is about connection count. Option D is wrong because autocommit affects transaction behavior.

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.