The correct actions are to add a read replica and increase the DB instance class to one with more memory. Adding a read replica directly offloads read traffic from the primary instance, distributing the query load and reducing the pressure on ReadIOPS. Increasing the instance size provides more memory for the InnoDB buffer pool, which caches frequently accessed data and minimizes disk reads, directly addressing the high read IO. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty exam, this question tests your understanding that read replicas scale read-heavy workloads horizontally, while vertical scaling with larger instance classes improves caching efficiency—a common trap is confusing Multi-AZ (which only aids failover) with read scaling. For a quick memory tip: think “Replica for reads, RAM for cache” to recall that read replicas handle traffic distribution and larger instances boost memory-based caching.
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 company is troubleshooting a performance issue with an Amazon RDS for MariaDB instance. The CloudWatch metric 'ReadIOPS' is consistently high, but 'WriteIOPS' is low. Which TWO actions could help improve read performance?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a read replica to offload read queries.
Adding a read replica offloads read traffic from the primary. Increasing the instance size can provide more memory for caching, reducing read IO. Option C (increasing storage) may help if it increases IOPS, but not necessarily. Option D (enabling Multi-AZ) does not improve read performance. Option E (using Amazon ElastiCache) is a valid approach but not specific to RDS.
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.
✓
Add a read replica to offload read queries.
Why this is correct
Read replicas handle read traffic, reducing load on the primary.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the allocated storage to improve IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing storage may increase baseline IOPS, but it is not a direct fix for read performance if the issue is caching.
✗
Use Amazon ElastiCache to cache query results.
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache is external to RDS and can help but is not an RDS-specific action; also it is a separate service.
✓
Increase the DB instance class to one with more memory.
Why this is correct
More memory allows a larger buffer pool, reducing disk reads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ to improve read performance.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
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 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 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: Add a read replica to offload read queries. — Adding a read replica offloads read traffic from the primary. Increasing the instance size can provide more memory for caching, reducing read IO. Option C (increasing storage) may help if it increases IOPS, but not necessarily. Option D (enabling Multi-AZ) does not improve read performance. Option E (using Amazon ElastiCache) is a valid approach but not specific to RDS.
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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