The answer is to update the application connection string to use the new writer endpoint from the RDS console. This is correct because after a Multi-AZ failover, the former primary database instance is automatically promoted to a standby replica, which is read-only; the application is still pointing to the old endpoint, which now resolves to a read-only node, causing the ReadOnlyException. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Multi-AZ failover handling and the critical distinction between the writer and reader endpoints—a common trap is assuming a reboot or instance modification will fix the endpoint mapping. Remember that the RDS console updates the CNAME for the writer endpoint automatically, but the application must reconnect to that new endpoint; a simple memory tip is “failover flips the writer, so flip your connection string.”
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's production RDS for PostgreSQL instance experienced a failover to the standby replica. After the failover, the application team reports that writes are failing with 'ReadOnlyException: Connection is read-only'. The DB instance status in the RDS console shows 'available'. Which action should the database administrator take to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Update the application connection string to use the new writer endpoint from the RDS console.
Option B is correct because after a failover, the old primary becomes a standby and is read-only. The application must update its connection string to point to the new writer endpoint. Option A is wrong because rebooting forces another failover, not a resolution. Option C is wrong because modifying the DB instance does not change the endpoint. Option D is wrong because a read replica has a different use case.
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.
✓
Update the application connection string to use the new writer endpoint from the RDS console.
Why this is correct
The application must connect to the writer endpoint after failover.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a read replica and promote it to a new primary.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a read replica is not the immediate fix; the existing primary is available.
✗
Reboot the DB instance to force a failover back to the original primary.
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting causes another failover, not resolution.
✗
Modify the DB instance to enable Multi-AZ again.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ is already enabled; modification doesn't fix read-only status.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
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: Update the application connection string to use the new writer endpoint from the RDS console. — Option B is correct because after a failover, the old primary becomes a standby and is read-only. The application must update its connection string to point to the new writer endpoint. Option A is wrong because rebooting forces another failover, not a resolution. Option C is wrong because modifying the DB instance does not change the endpoint. Option D is wrong because a read replica has a different use case.
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.
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 →
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 database specialist runs the CLI command shown. The output indicates the instance is Multi-AZ and available. The application, however, is experiencing intermittent connection timeouts to the database endpoint. What is the most likely cause?
hard
✓ A.A failover occurred due to a Multi-AZ event.
B.The MySQL engine version is not supported.
C.The DB instance class is not available in the current region.
D.The database storage is full.
Why A: Option B is correct because Multi-AZ failover can cause transient connection timeouts if the application does not have proper retry logic. Option A is wrong because the instance status is 'available', not 'storage-full'. Option C is wrong because MySQL 8.0.28 is a supported version. Option D is wrong because the instance class is db.r5.xlarge, which is a current generation instance.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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.
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