Quick Answer
The answer is to monitor ReadLatency and WriteLatency. These CloudWatch metrics directly reflect the time taken for I/O operations to complete, and when they spike, they indicate a storage I/O bottleneck where the underlying disk subsystem cannot keep pace with the database workload. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this concept tests your ability to differentiate between storage-level performance issues and other resource constraints; a common trap is confusing high CPUUtilization or DatabaseConnections with I/O problems, but latency metrics are the definitive signal for storage bottlenecks. Remember that I/O bottlenecks are about speed, not quantity—think “latency equals waiting on the disk.” A useful memory tip is to associate “ReadLatency and WriteLatency” with the phrase “slow storage, slow query,” as these are the first metrics to check when a query drags despite adequate CPU and memory.
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 is troubleshooting a slow-running query on an Amazon RDS for MySQL DB instance. Which CloudWatch metric should be monitored to determine if the query is experiencing storage I/O bottlenecks?
ReadLatency and WriteLatency
High latency indicates I/O bottlenecks.
CPUUtilization
Why wrong: CPUUtilization shows processor usage, not I/O.
NetworkThroughput
Why wrong: NetworkThroughput measures network traffic.
DatabaseConnections
Why wrong: DatabaseConnections shows connection count.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
ReadLatency and WriteLatency
Option A is correct because ReadLatency and WriteLatency indicate I/O performance. Option B is wrong because CPUUtilization measures processor usage. Option C is wrong because DatabaseConnections measures connections. Option D is wrong because NetworkThroughput measures network traffic.
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.
ReadLatency and WriteLatency
Why this is correct
High latency indicates I/O bottlenecks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
CPUUtilization
Why it's wrong here
CPUUtilization shows processor usage, not I/O.
NetworkThroughput
Why it's wrong here
NetworkThroughput measures network traffic.
DatabaseConnections
Why it's wrong here
DatabaseConnections shows connection count.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
CPUUtilization shows processor usage, not I/O.
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.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Monitoring and Troubleshooting practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All DBS-C01 questions
1,730 questions across all exam domains
AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
DBS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: ReadLatency and WriteLatency — Option A is correct because ReadLatency and WriteLatency indicate I/O performance. Option B is wrong because CPUUtilization measures processor usage. Option C is wrong because DatabaseConnections measures connections. Option D is wrong because NetworkThroughput measures network traffic.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.