The correct actions are to add nodes to the cluster and optimize sort keys to reduce data scanned. When CloudWatch metrics show high CPUUtilization and low DiskSpace, the bottleneck is compute capacity, not storage; adding nodes distributes the workload across more slices, directly increasing CPU and I/O resources for parallel processing. Meanwhile, optimizing sort keys minimizes the amount of data Redshift must scan per query, which reduces CPU demand and accelerates performance—especially for range-restricted queries. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Redshift’s architecture, specifically how node scaling and data organization affect query performance. A common trap is assuming VACUUM frees disk space when full, but VACUUM only reorganizes data and may actually require free space to run. Memory tip: “High CPU, low disk? Add nodes and fix the sort key risk.”
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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 uses Amazon Redshift and notices that queries are taking longer than usual. CloudWatch metrics show 'CPUUtilization' is high and 'DiskSpace' is low. Which TWO actions can help improve query performance?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add more nodes to the cluster
Option A is correct because adding nodes distributes workload and increases CPU and I/O resources. Option B is wrong because VACUUM reorganizes data but does not free space if the disk is full; it may require space. Option C is correct because optimizing sort keys reduces the amount of data scanned, speeding up queries. Option D is wrong because disabling concurrency scaling reduces performance. Option E is wrong because Multi-AZ is not available for Redshift. So correct: A, C.
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.
✗
Disable concurrency scaling to free resources
Why it's wrong here
Concurrency scaling improves performance by adding cluster capacity.
✓
Add more nodes to the cluster
Why this is correct
Adding nodes increases parallelism and resources for queries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ to distribute load
Why it's wrong here
Redshift does not support Multi-AZ.
✗
Run VACUUM to reclaim space
Why it's wrong here
VACUUM requires free space and does not directly improve query speed.
✓
Optimize sort keys to reduce data scanned
Why this is correct
Better sort keys allow Redshift to skip more data during scans.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
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: Add more nodes to the cluster — Option A is correct because adding nodes distributes workload and increases CPU and I/O resources. Option B is wrong because VACUUM reorganizes data but does not free space if the disk is full; it may require space. Option C is correct because optimizing sort keys reduces the amount of data scanned, speeding up queries. Option D is wrong because disabling concurrency scaling reduces performance. Option E is wrong because Multi-AZ is not available for Redshift. So correct: A, C.
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 company is using Amazon Redshift and notices that queries are running slowly. Which TWO system views should be used to identify the cause of the slow queries? (Choose TWO.)
medium
A.STV_TBL_PERM
B.PG_TABLE_DEF
✓ C.STL_QUERY
D.STL_LOAD_COMMITS
✓ E.SVV_QUERY_STATE
Why C: Options A and C are correct. STL_QUERY contains query execution details. SVV_QUERY_STATE shows currently running queries. Option B is wrong because STV_TBL_PERM shows permissions. Option D is wrong because PG_TABLE_DEF shows table definitions. Option E is wrong because STL_LOAD_COMMITS shows load commit information.
Variation 2. A company is using Amazon Redshift and has a query that is running slowly. The DBA wants to identify if the query is I/O-bound. Which TWO metrics from Amazon CloudWatch can indicate I/O-bound queries?
medium
A.NetworkReceiveThroughput
✓ B.ReadIOPS
C.CPUUtilization
D.WriteIOPS
✓ E.ReadLatency
Why B: Options A and D are correct. ReadIOPS measures read operations per second, and ReadLatency measures the time for read operations; both are I/O metrics. WriteIOPS and WriteLatency are also I/O metrics but given the question, the correct ones are ReadIOPS and ReadLatency. Option C is wrong because CPUUtilization indicates CPU-bound, not I/O-bound. Option E is wrong because NetworkReceiveThroughput measures network throughput.
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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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