DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
A company runs an Amazon Aurora MySQL database with read replicas to handle read traffic. During a recent load test, the primary instance CPU utilization reached 90%, but read replicas remained below 50%. The application uses a custom ORM that connects to a single endpoint. Which change will best distribute read traffic?
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
✓
Configure the application to use the Aurora reader endpoint for read queries.
The Aurora reader endpoint automatically load balances SELECT queries across all read replicas, distributing read traffic effectively. Option B is incorrect: Amazon RDS Proxy provides connection pooling but does not split read/write traffic; it uses the cluster endpoint, which directs to the primary instance. Option C is incorrect: Aurora read replicas are not standard EC2 instances and cannot be placed behind an Application Load Balancer; the reader endpoint is the intended mechanism. Option D is incorrect: The cluster endpoint always points to the primary instance, so using it for reads would not distribute load; Aurora Auto Scaling adds replicas, but they are only utilized when the reader endpoint is used.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure the application to use the Aurora reader endpoint for read queries.
Why this is correct
Reader endpoint load balances across read replicas.
- ✗
Use Amazon RDS Proxy with read/write splitting.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Proxy does not split read/write traffic.
- ✗
Place the read replicas behind an Application Load Balancer.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas are not directly accessible via ALB.
- ✗
Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for replicas and use the cluster endpoint for both read and write.
Why it's wrong here
Cluster endpoint routes to primary only.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.