- A
Enable a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas.
Readable standby replicas in Multi-AZ allow read traffic to be directed to the standby, reducing load on the primary and lowering read latency, without code changes.
- B
Implement database sharding across multiple RDS instances.
Why wrong: Sharding requires application-level changes to distribute data and queries, which does not meet the requirement of no code changes.
- C
Enable Multi-AZ on the existing DB instance to provide a standby for failover.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ provides high availability but does not offload read traffic; the standby is not used for reads.
- D
Increase the DB instance class to a larger size.
Why wrong: Scaling up the instance may improve performance but is not the most targeted solution for read-heavy workloads and may be overprovisioned for writes.
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 running a production Amazon RDS for MySQL Multi-AZ DB instance. The database experiences intermittent high latency and the CloudWatch 'ReadLatency' metric spikes during periods of heavy read traffic. The application uses a single database endpoint. What is the MOST effective way to reduce read latency without changing the application code?
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
Enable a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas.
Option A is correct because enabling a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas allows you to offload read traffic to the standby instances using the Read Replica endpoint, reducing load on the primary and lowering ReadLatency. Since the application uses a single database endpoint, you can use Amazon RDS's built-in reader endpoint (for a Multi-AZ DB cluster) or configure a custom DNS to distribute reads, without modifying application code. This directly addresses the intermittent high latency during heavy read traffic by scaling read capacity horizontally.
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.
- ✓
Enable a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas.
Why this is correct
Readable standby replicas in Multi-AZ allow read traffic to be directed to the standby, reducing load on the primary and lowering read latency, without code changes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Implement database sharding across multiple RDS instances.
Why it's wrong here
Sharding requires application-level changes to distribute data and queries, which does not meet the requirement of no code changes.
- ✗
Enable Multi-AZ on the existing DB instance to provide a standby for failover.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides high availability but does not offload read traffic; the standby is not used for reads.
- ✗
Increase the DB instance class to a larger size.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up the instance may improve performance but is not the most targeted solution for read-heavy workloads and may be overprovisioned for writes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'Multi-AZ' with 'readable standby' — classic Multi-AZ provides high availability but no read scaling, while the newer Multi-AZ DB cluster (or adding Read Replicas) is required to reduce read latency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon RDS Multi-AZ DB clusters (introduced for MySQL 8.0.23+) support up to two readable standby replicas with automatic failover, using a single writer endpoint and a separate reader endpoint. The reader endpoint load-balances connections across all readable standbys, which can reduce ReadLatency spikes without application changes. In contrast, classic Multi-AZ deployments (pre-8.0.23) have a standby that is not readable, so they cannot offload reads.
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: Enable a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas. — Option A is correct because enabling a Multi-AZ deployment with one or more readable standby replicas allows you to offload read traffic to the standby instances using the Read Replica endpoint, reducing load on the primary and lowering ReadLatency. Since the application uses a single database endpoint, you can use Amazon RDS's built-in reader endpoint (for a Multi-AZ DB cluster) or configure a custom DNS to distribute reads, without modifying application code. This directly addresses the intermittent high latency during heavy read traffic by scaling read capacity horizontally.
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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