Quick Answer
The answer is to modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage, as this is the only action that resolves an RDS storage full state without downtime. This works because Amazon RDS supports dynamic storage scaling for PostgreSQL and other database engines, allowing you to increase allocated storage while the instance remains fully available and online. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of RDS storage management and the distinction between operations that cause downtime versus those that do not. A common trap is assuming that deleting old snapshots or logs frees up space on the instance, but RDS storage is provisioned at the instance level and snapshots are stored separately in Amazon S3. Similarly, creating a read replica requires the source to have available storage, and rebooting does not reclaim space. Remember the memory tip: "Scale up storage, not down—RDS grows without a frown."
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 developer reports that an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL database instance's storage is full and the instance is in 'storage-full' state. The team wants to resolve this without downtime. Which action should be taken?
Create a read replica and promote it
Why wrong: Creating a replica requires the source to have free storage.
Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage
RDS supports dynamic storage scaling without downtime for most engines.
Delete old automated snapshots
Why wrong: Snapshots are stored in S3, not on the instance volume.
Reboot the DB instance
Why wrong: Rebooting does not free storage.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage
Option A is correct because modifying the allocated storage for an RDS instance is a dynamic operation that can increase storage without downtime. Option B is wrong because deleting old snapshots does not free up storage on the instance. Option C is wrong because creating a read replica requires the source to have available storage. Option D is wrong because rebooting does not free storage.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Create a read replica and promote it
Why it's wrong here
Creating a replica requires the source to have free storage.
Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage
Why this is correct
RDS supports dynamic storage scaling without downtime for most engines.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Delete old automated snapshots
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are stored in S3, not on the instance volume.
Reboot the DB instance
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting does not free storage.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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.
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FAQ
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage — Option A is correct because modifying the allocated storage for an RDS instance is a dynamic operation that can increase storage without downtime. Option B is wrong because deleting old snapshots does not free up storage on the instance. Option C is wrong because creating a read replica requires the source to have available storage. Option D is wrong because rebooting does not free storage.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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