- A
Migrate to Amazon Aurora MySQL.
Aurora failover is typically under 30 seconds.
- B
Use Amazon RDS Proxy between the application and the database.
Why wrong: RDS Proxy reduces connection disruption but not failover time.
- C
Enable automatic failover on the Multi-AZ deployment.
Why wrong: Already enabled; failover still takes minutes.
- D
Decrease the DNS TTL on the RDS endpoint.
Why wrong: DNS changes do not reduce failover time.
Question 982 of 1,730
Reducing RDS Failover Time with Aurora MySQL
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ. During a recent failover test, the database experienced a 5-minute write outage. The application can tolerate up to 1 minute of downtime. Which solution should be used to reduce the failover time?
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
✓
Migrate to Amazon Aurora MySQL.
Amazon Aurora MySQL is designed to reduce failover time significantly compared to standard RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ. Aurora typically completes failover in under 60 seconds by using a shared distributed storage volume across multiple Availability Zones, eliminating the need to replay redo logs on the standby. This directly meets the application's requirement of tolerating up to 1 minute of downtime.
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.
- ✓
Migrate to Amazon Aurora MySQL.
Why this is correct
Aurora failover is typically under 30 seconds.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon RDS Proxy between the application and the database.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Proxy reduces connection disruption but not failover time.
- ✗
Enable automatic failover on the Multi-AZ deployment.
Why it's wrong here
Already enabled; failover still takes minutes.
- ✗
Decrease the DNS TTL on the RDS endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
DNS changes do not reduce failover time.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume RDS Proxy or DNS TTL adjustments can reduce failover time, when in reality the failover delay is dominated by the database engine's crash recovery process, which only Aurora's distributed storage architecture can mitigate.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Standard RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ failover can take 1–2 minutes or more because the standby must apply all redo logs from the primary before accepting writes, a process that depends on the volume of uncommitted transactions. In contrast, Aurora uses a 6-replica quorum-based storage system where the database tier is decoupled from storage; failover involves promoting a reader to writer, which typically completes in under 30 seconds because no storage recovery is needed. This architecture also allows Aurora to recover from a primary failure without data loss, as the storage layer is already consistent across AZs.
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 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Migrate to Amazon Aurora MySQL. — Amazon Aurora MySQL is designed to reduce failover time significantly compared to standard RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ. Aurora typically completes failover in under 60 seconds by using a shared distributed storage volume across multiple Availability Zones, eliminating the need to replay redo logs on the standby. This directly meets the application's requirement of tolerating up to 1 minute of downtime.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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