Quick Answer
The correct answer is Amazon CloudWatch Logs and Performance Insights. CloudWatch Logs allows you to stream, monitor, and store your RDS for MySQL slow query logs in near real-time, while Performance Insights provides a database performance dashboard that visualizes database load and identifies the specific queries causing bottlenecks. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of operational monitoring versus logging: CloudWatch Logs captures the raw log data, and Performance Insights analyzes the database engine’s internal wait events to pinpoint slow queries. A common trap is confusing CloudTrail (which records API calls, not database logs) or S3 (a storage destination, not a monitoring service) with actual log analysis tools. Remember the memory tip: “Logs to CloudWatch, Load to Insights” — CloudWatch Logs stores the text, Performance Insights shows the impact.
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 using Amazon RDS for MySQL and needs to monitor for slow queries. Which TWO AWS services can be used to capture and analyze slow query logs? (Choose TWO.)
Amazon S3
Why wrong: S3 is object storage, not a monitoring service.
Amazon RDS Performance Insights
Performance Insights can help identify slow queries by analyzing database load.
AWS Config
Why wrong: Config tracks configuration changes, not database performance.
AWS CloudTrail
Why wrong: CloudTrail records API activity, not database logs.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
RDS can publish logs to CloudWatch Logs for analysis.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon RDS Performance Insights
Options A and C are correct because CloudWatch Logs can be used to stream RDS logs, and Performance Insights can help identify slow queries. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail records API calls, not database logs. Option D is wrong because S3 is a storage service, not a monitoring service. Option E is wrong because Config records configuration changes.
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.
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage, not a monitoring service.
Amazon RDS Performance Insights
Why this is correct
Performance Insights can help identify slow queries by analyzing database load.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Config
Why it's wrong here
Config tracks configuration changes, not database performance.
AWS CloudTrail
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail records API activity, not database logs.
Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Why this is correct
RDS can publish logs to CloudWatch Logs for analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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
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.
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FAQ
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon RDS Performance Insights — Options A and C are correct because CloudWatch Logs can be used to stream RDS logs, and Performance Insights can help identify slow queries. Option B is wrong because CloudTrail records API calls, not database logs. Option D is wrong because S3 is a storage service, not a monitoring service. Option E is wrong because Config records configuration changes.
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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