- A
Modify the DB parameter group to optimize settings for reporting workloads, such as increasing shared_buffers and work_mem.
Tuning PostgreSQL parameters can improve performance for complex queries.
- B
Upgrade the RDS instance to a larger instance class with more vCPUs and memory.
More resources improve query performance.
- C
Create one or more read replicas of the RDS instance and direct reporting queries to them.
Read replicas offload read traffic from the primary.
- D
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ improves availability, not read performance.
- E
Implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster to cache query results.
Why wrong: While caching can help, it's not an RDS action and may not cover all queries.
Question 1,067 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
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 is running a PostgreSQL database on Amazon RDS. They need to improve read performance for a reporting application that runs complex queries. The reporting application can tolerate slightly stale data. Which THREE actions should they take? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Modify the DB parameter group to optimize settings for reporting workloads, such as increasing shared_buffers and work_mem.
Option A is correct because modifying the DB parameter group to increase shared_buffers and work_mem can significantly improve the performance of complex reporting queries by allowing more data to be cached in memory and larger sort operations to be performed in memory rather than on disk. Option B is correct because upgrading to a larger instance class with more vCPUs and memory directly addresses the compute and memory demands of complex queries, reducing query execution time. Option C is correct because creating read replicas offloads reporting traffic from the primary database, and since the reporting application can tolerate slightly stale data, the asynchronous replication lag is acceptable.
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.
- ✓
Modify the DB parameter group to optimize settings for reporting workloads, such as increasing shared_buffers and work_mem.
Why this is correct
Tuning PostgreSQL parameters can improve performance for complex queries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Upgrade the RDS instance to a larger instance class with more vCPUs and memory.
Why this is correct
More resources improve query performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create one or more read replicas of the RDS instance and direct reporting queries to them.
Why this is correct
Read replicas offload read traffic from the primary.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ improves availability, not read performance.
- ✗
Implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster to cache query results.
Why it's wrong here
While caching can help, it's not an RDS action and may not cover all queries.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ with read replicas, assuming that the standby instance in a Multi-AZ deployment can serve read traffic, but in RDS for PostgreSQL, the standby is not accessible for reads until a failover occurs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Increasing shared_buffers allows PostgreSQL to cache more data in shared memory, reducing disk I/O for repeated queries. work_mem controls the memory used for sort operations and hash tables; increasing it allows complex queries with large sorts or aggregations to complete faster without spilling to temporary files. Read replicas in Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL use asynchronous replication based on PostgreSQL's streaming replication protocol, which typically has lag of a few seconds to minutes, making it suitable for reporting that tolerates stale data.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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: Modify the DB parameter group to optimize settings for reporting workloads, such as increasing shared_buffers and work_mem. — Option A is correct because modifying the DB parameter group to increase shared_buffers and work_mem can significantly improve the performance of complex reporting queries by allowing more data to be cached in memory and larger sort operations to be performed in memory rather than on disk. Option B is correct because upgrading to a larger instance class with more vCPUs and memory directly addresses the compute and memory demands of complex queries, reducing query execution time. Option C is correct because creating read replicas offloads reporting traffic from the primary database, and since the reporting application can tolerate slightly stale data, the asynchronous replication lag is acceptable.
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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