- A
Modify the DB instance to enable automatic minor version upgrade.
Automatic upgrades apply during maintenance window with minimal downtime.
- B
Apply the upgrade immediately during the next maintenance window.
Applying during maintenance window minimizes manual intervention and downtime.
- C
Create a read replica, upgrade the replica, and promote it.
Why wrong: This is a valid approach but not minimal downtime compared to applying directly; also it requires application changes.
- D
Modify the DB instance to be a Single-AZ deployment to simplify the upgrade.
Why wrong: Single-AZ reduces availability and does not minimize downtime.
- E
Stop the DB instance before applying the upgrade.
Why wrong: Stopping the instance causes downtime.
Question 67 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 production Amazon RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ DB instance. The database administrator needs to perform a minor version upgrade with minimal downtime. Which TWO actions should be taken? (Choose TWO.)
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 instance to enable automatic minor version upgrade.
Option A is correct because enabling automatic minor version upgrades on an RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ instance allows Amazon RDS to apply the upgrade during the next maintenance window with minimal downtime. During the upgrade, RDS patches the standby first, then performs a failover to make the standby the new primary, resulting in a brief (typically under 60 seconds) interruption rather than a full outage. This approach leverages the Multi-AZ architecture to reduce downtime compared to manual upgrades.
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 instance to enable automatic minor version upgrade.
Why this is correct
Automatic upgrades apply during maintenance window with minimal downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Apply the upgrade immediately during the next maintenance window.
Why this is correct
Applying during maintenance window minimizes manual intervention and downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a read replica, upgrade the replica, and promote it.
Why it's wrong here
This is a valid approach but not minimal downtime compared to applying directly; also it requires application changes.
- ✗
Modify the DB instance to be a Single-AZ deployment to simplify the upgrade.
Why it's wrong here
Single-AZ reduces availability and does not minimize downtime.
- ✗
Stop the DB instance before applying the upgrade.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping the instance causes downtime.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'immediate' means faster and less downtime, but in a Multi-AZ setup, applying the upgrade immediately actually causes more downtime than using the maintenance window with automatic upgrades, because the rolling failover approach is designed to minimize disruption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When automatic minor version upgrade is enabled, RDS uses a rolling upgrade process: it patches the standby instance first, then initiates a DNS failover to promote the standby to primary, and finally patches the old primary (now the new standby). This process is governed by the RDS maintenance window and typically completes within a few minutes, with a failover duration of 30–60 seconds. In contrast, an immediate upgrade applies the patch to both instances concurrently, leading to a longer outage because the database must be unavailable while the primary is being patched.
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
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Modify the DB instance to enable automatic minor version upgrade. — Option A is correct because enabling automatic minor version upgrades on an RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ instance allows Amazon RDS to apply the upgrade during the next maintenance window with minimal downtime. During the upgrade, RDS patches the standby first, then performs a failover to make the standby the new primary, resulting in a brief (typically under 60 seconds) interruption rather than a full outage. This approach leverages the Multi-AZ architecture to reduce downtime compared to manual upgrades.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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