The correct actions are enabling Performance Insights and enabling the slow query log with a configured threshold. Performance Insights provides a performance schema and wait-event analysis to visually identify which queries are consuming the most database resources, while the slow query log captures every SQL statement that exceeds a specified duration, allowing you to pinpoint the exact queries causing high CPU and latency. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between diagnostic tools: Enhanced Monitoring gives OS-level metrics (CPU, memory) but not query-level details, and DevOps Guru is for broader anomaly detection, not specific query hunting. A common trap is confusing Enhanced Monitoring with query analysis—remember that OS metrics show the symptom, not the cause. For a memory tip, think "Performance Insights shows the 'who' and slow query log shows the 'what' and 'how long'."
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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 notices that an Amazon RDS for MySQL DB instance is experiencing high CPU utilization and increased latency during peak hours. The administrator wants to identify the queries causing the issue. Which TWO actions should be taken to diagnose the problem? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable Performance Insights on the DB instance.
Option A: Enabling Performance Insights provides a performance schema and wait events to identify problematic queries. Option C: Enabling the slow query log captures queries that take longer than a specified time, helping to pinpoint slow queries. Option B: RDS Enhanced Monitoring is for OS-level metrics, not query-level. Option D: Amazon DevOps Guru is for broader anomaly detection, not specific query identification. Option E: RDS Proxy is for connection pooling, not query analysis.
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.
✓
Enable Performance Insights on the DB instance.
Why this is correct
Performance Insights provides detailed performance metrics and top SQL queries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Amazon DevOps Guru for RDS.
Why it's wrong here
DevOps Guru is for anomaly detection across services, not query identification.
✓
Enable the slow query log and set a threshold for query duration.
Why this is correct
Slow query log captures slow-running queries for analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use RDS Proxy to manage connections.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Proxy helps with connection pooling but not query analysis.
✗
Enable RDS Enhanced Monitoring.
Why it's wrong here
Enhanced Monitoring provides OS-level metrics but not query-level details.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 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.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Performance Insights on the DB instance. — Option A: Enabling Performance Insights provides a performance schema and wait events to identify problematic queries. Option C: Enabling the slow query log captures queries that take longer than a specified time, helping to pinpoint slow queries. Option B: RDS Enhanced Monitoring is for OS-level metrics, not query-level. Option D: Amazon DevOps Guru is for broader anomaly detection, not specific query identification. Option E: RDS Proxy is for connection pooling, not query analysis.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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