- A
Check the Burst Balance metric in Amazon CloudWatch for the DB instance.
Correct: gp2 volumes accumulate burst credits; if exhausted, performance drops to baseline IOPS, causing latency.
- B
Change the storage type to Provisioned IOPS SSD (io1) with 10,000 IOPS.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Premature without confirming the current storage performance metrics.
- C
Increase the Read IOPS by modifying the instance to a larger instance class.
Why wrong: Incorrect: This addresses compute, not storage; the issue is likely storage-related.
- D
Review the SwapUsage metric for the DB instance to check for memory pressure.
Why wrong: Incorrect: CPU and memory are normal, so memory pressure is unlikely.
- E
Monitor the Read/Write Latency metrics in CloudWatch to identify storage performance issues.
Correct: High latency indicates the storage subsystem is the bottleneck.
Quick Answer
The answer is to monitor the Read/Write Latency metrics in CloudWatch and check the Burst Balance metric for the gp2 storage volume. This is correct because General Purpose SSD (gp2) uses a credit-based burst model where accumulated I/O credits allow temporary spikes above the baseline IOPS; when the Burst Balance is depleted, the volume is throttled to its baseline of 3,000 IOPS, causing high latency even when CPU and memory are low. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of gp2’s burst mechanics versus gp3’s baseline performance—a common trap is assuming low CPU rules out storage issues. Remember the key diagnostic: if latency is high but CPU and memory are fine, always suspect a depleted Burst Balance. Memory tip: “Burst Balance low? Latency will grow.”
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 company runs a production Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL DB instance. The database experiences intermittent high latency during peak hours. The company's monitoring shows that CPU utilization is below 40%, memory is adequate, and network throughput is normal. The DB instance uses General Purpose SSD (gp2) storage with 3,000 Provisioned IOPS. Which TWO actions should a database specialist take to diagnose and resolve the performance issue? (Choose two.)
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
Check the Burst Balance metric in Amazon CloudWatch for the DB instance.
Option A is correct because gp2 storage uses a credit-based burst model, and the Burst Balance metric indicates the remaining I/O credits. If the burst balance is depleted, the instance is throttled to the baseline IOPS (3,000 for this size), causing high latency despite low CPU and adequate memory. Checking this metric directly identifies whether the storage is starved for I/O credits.
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.
- ✓
Check the Burst Balance metric in Amazon CloudWatch for the DB instance.
Why this is correct
Correct: gp2 volumes accumulate burst credits; if exhausted, performance drops to baseline IOPS, causing latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the storage type to Provisioned IOPS SSD (io1) with 10,000 IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Premature without confirming the current storage performance metrics.
- ✗
Increase the Read IOPS by modifying the instance to a larger instance class.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This addresses compute, not storage; the issue is likely storage-related.
- ✗
Review the SwapUsage metric for the DB instance to check for memory pressure.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: CPU and memory are normal, so memory pressure is unlikely.
- ✓
Monitor the Read/Write Latency metrics in CloudWatch to identify storage performance issues.
Why this is correct
Correct: High latency indicates the storage subsystem is the bottleneck.
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 assume high latency must be caused by CPU or memory pressure, overlooking the gp2 burst credit mechanism that throttles I/O when credits are depleted, even when other resources appear healthy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
gp2 volumes provide a baseline of 3 IOPS per GB and accumulate burst credits at 30 IOPS per GB per second; when credits are exhausted, performance drops to baseline, which for a 1,000 GB volume is 3,000 IOPS. The Read/Write Latency metrics in CloudWatch directly reflect the time taken for I/O operations, and elevated latency combined with low burst balance confirms storage throttling. In contrast, Provisioned IOPS (io1/io2) volumes do not use a burst model, making them suitable for sustained high I/O workloads.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Check the Burst Balance metric in Amazon CloudWatch for the DB instance. — Option A is correct because gp2 storage uses a credit-based burst model, and the Burst Balance metric indicates the remaining I/O credits. If the burst balance is depleted, the instance is throttled to the baseline IOPS (3,000 for this size), causing high latency despite low CPU and adequate memory. Checking this metric directly identifies whether the storage is starved for I/O credits.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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