- A
DatabaseConnections
Why wrong: This metric shows the number of connections, but not which queries are causing high CPU.
- B
ReadIOPS
Why wrong: ReadIOPS indicates disk I/O, not directly CPU usage by queries.
- C
Enhanced Monitoring (cpuUtilization per process)
Enhanced Monitoring provides per-process CPU metrics, which can help identify which process (and thus which query) is consuming the most CPU.
- D
CPUUtilization
Why wrong: CPUUtilization confirms high CPU but does not identify the specific query causing it.
Question 414 of 1,730
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 database administrator is troubleshooting a performance issue on an Amazon RDS for SQL Server instance. The CPU utilization is consistently above 90%, and the number of database connections is high. Which Amazon CloudWatch metric should be analyzed first to determine if the issue is due to a specific query?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
✓
Enhanced Monitoring (cpuUtilization per process)
Enhanced Monitoring provides per-process CPU utilization metrics, which allow you to identify if a specific SQL Server query or session is consuming excessive CPU. Unlike aggregate metrics like CPUUtilization, Enhanced Monitoring breaks down CPU usage by process (e.g., sqlservr.exe), enabling you to pinpoint a problematic query. This is the most direct way to determine if the high CPU is driven by a specific query rather than general load.
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.
- ✗
DatabaseConnections
Why it's wrong here
This metric shows the number of connections, but not which queries are causing high CPU.
- ✗
ReadIOPS
Why it's wrong here
ReadIOPS indicates disk I/O, not directly CPU usage by queries.
- ✓
Enhanced Monitoring (cpuUtilization per process)
Why this is correct
Enhanced Monitoring provides per-process CPU metrics, which can help identify which process (and thus which query) is consuming the most CPU.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
CPUUtilization
Why it's wrong here
CPUUtilization confirms high CPU but does not identify the specific query causing it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose CPUUtilization (Option D) because it seems directly related to CPU issues, but they overlook that Enhanced Monitoring provides the granularity needed to isolate a specific query's impact.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This metric shows the number of connections, but not which queries are causing high CPU.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Enhanced Monitoring on RDS for SQL Server collects metrics from the OS-level (e.g., Windows Performance Counters) via the RDS agent, providing per-process CPU, memory, and disk I/O. For SQL Server, you can correlate high CPU in the sqlservr.exe process with specific queries using sys.dm_exec_query_stats or sys.dm_os_waiting_tasks. In a real-world scenario, a missing index causing a table scan could spike CPU for a single query, which would be invisible in aggregate CPUUtilization but clearly visible in Enhanced Monitoring's per-process breakdown.
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
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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Management and Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
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: Enhanced Monitoring (cpuUtilization per process) — Enhanced Monitoring provides per-process CPU utilization metrics, which allow you to identify if a specific SQL Server query or session is consuming excessive CPU. Unlike aggregate metrics like CPUUtilization, Enhanced Monitoring breaks down CPU usage by process (e.g., sqlservr.exe), enabling you to pinpoint a problematic query. This is the most direct way to determine if the high CPU is driven by a specific query rather than general load.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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