The answer is Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas. This is the correct choice because Aurora Auto Scaling dynamically adjusts the number of Aurora Replicas in response to changes in read workload, monitoring metrics like average CPU utilization or connections across the reader fleet to maintain a target value. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Aurora decouples storage and compute, enabling seamless read scaling without manual intervention—a common trap is confusing this with DynamoDB auto scaling or RDS Multi-AZ, which handle throughput or failover, not read replica elasticity. Remember that Aurora Auto Scaling works specifically with the reader endpoint, not the writer, and requires you to set a minimum and maximum replica count along with a target metric. Memory tip: think “Aurora reads auto-scale like a thermostat—set the target, and it adjusts the replicas to keep the room cool.”
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 wants to deploy a MySQL database that automatically scales read capacity based on traffic without manual intervention. Which AWS database offering should they use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas
Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas is correct because it automatically adjusts the number of Aurora Replicas based on changes in read workload, scaling read capacity without manual intervention. Aurora's Auto Scaling monitors the average CPU utilization or connections of the reader fleet and adds or removes replicas to maintain a target metric, providing seamless read scaling for MySQL-compatible databases.
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.
✗
Amazon DynamoDB with auto scaling
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is NoSQL, not MySQL.
✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ deployment
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL with a Single-AZ deployment
Why it's wrong here
Single-AZ does not provide read scaling; manual intervention needed.
✓
Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas
Why this is correct
Aurora Auto Scaling automatically adjusts the number of read replicas based on CPU or connections.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ deployments (which provide failover, not read scaling) with read replica auto scaling, or they incorrectly assume DynamoDB's auto scaling applies to MySQL workloads, when the question explicitly requires a MySQL database.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas works by using a target tracking scaling policy based on a CloudWatch metric (e.g., average CPUUtilization of the Aurora Replica fleet), and it can add replicas in increments of up to 15 per cluster. Under the hood, Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance, so adding replicas does not require data copying, enabling rapid scaling. In a real-world scenario, a sudden spike in read-heavy reporting queries can trigger Auto Scaling to provision additional replicas within minutes, preventing performance degradation without DBA intervention.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas — Amazon Aurora with Auto Scaling for read replicas is correct because it automatically adjusts the number of Aurora Replicas based on changes in read workload, scaling read capacity without manual intervention. Aurora's Auto Scaling monitors the average CPU utilization or connections of the reader fleet and adds or removes replicas to maintain a target metric, providing seamless read scaling for MySQL-compatible databases.
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.
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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