Quick Answer
The correct deployment approach is to use a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB with one or more read replicas. This combination directly satisfies both requirements because Multi-AZ provides high availability through automatic failover to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone, while read replicas offload read-heavy traffic by creating asynchronous copies that can serve SELECT queries independently. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of the distinct roles of Multi-AZ and read replicas, and it often appears as a trap where candidates confuse high availability with read scaling. A common mistake is assuming Multi-AZ alone scales reads, but its standby is not active for queries; conversely, read replicas alone lack automatic failover. For MariaDB high availability read scaling on RDS, remember the mnemonic “HA is standby, reads are copies” to keep the two concepts separate.
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. 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 deploying a new web application that requires a highly available MariaDB database. The application is read-heavy and needs to scale read traffic. Which deployment approach meets these requirements?
Deploy Amazon Aurora MySQL with a read replica.
Why wrong: Aurora is not MariaDB.
Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB with one or more read replicas.
Combines HA and read scaling.
Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB instance.
Why wrong: Provides HA but not read scaling.
Deploy a single-AZ RDS for MariaDB with a read replica.
Why wrong: Read replica provides read scaling but no HA for writes.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB with one or more read replicas.
Option C is correct because Multi-AZ provides HA and read replicas scale reads. Option A is wrong because Multi-AZ alone does not scale reads. Option B is wrong because read replicas alone do not provide HA. Option D is wrong because Aurora is a different engine.
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.
Deploy Amazon Aurora MySQL with a read replica.
Why it's wrong here
Aurora is not MariaDB.
Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB with one or more read replicas.
Why this is correct
Combines HA and read scaling.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB instance.
Why it's wrong here
Provides HA but not read scaling.
Deploy a single-AZ RDS for MariaDB with a read replica.
Why it's wrong here
Read replica provides read scaling but no HA for writes.
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.
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
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
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.
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FAQ
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Deploy a Multi-AZ RDS for MariaDB with one or more read replicas. — Option C is correct because Multi-AZ provides HA and read replicas scale reads. Option A is wrong because Multi-AZ alone does not scale reads. Option B is wrong because read replicas alone do not provide HA. Option D is wrong because Aurora is a different engine.
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
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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.
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