Quick Answer
The correct action is to increase the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory. High swap usage on an RDS Oracle instance means the operating system is forced to use disk-based swap space as a substitute for physical RAM, which directly degrades database performance by introducing I/O latency. Upgrading the instance class provides additional RAM, alleviating memory pressure and reducing or eliminating the need for swapping. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that swap usage is a memory capacity issue, not a storage or configuration problem—a common trap is trying to modify kernel parameters or increase allocated memory, which are not supported in RDS. Remember the memory tip: “Swap signals shortage, so scale the size for a memory rise.”
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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.
An Amazon RDS for Oracle DB instance is experiencing high swap usage. The database administrator wants to reduce swap usage. Which action should be taken?
Change the storage type from gp2 to io1
Why wrong: Storage performance does not affect memory or swap.
Increase the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory
More memory reduces the need for swap.
Delete archived redo logs to free up space
Why wrong: This frees disk space, not memory.
Enable Multi-AZ to distribute the load
Why wrong: Multi-AZ provides high availability, not additional memory for the primary instance.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Increase the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory
High swap usage on an Amazon RDS for Oracle DB instance indicates that the operating system is using disk-based swap space as a substitute for physical RAM, which severely degrades database performance. Increasing the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory directly addresses the root cause by providing additional RAM, reducing or eliminating the need for swapping. This is the correct action because swap usage is a memory pressure issue, not a storage or availability problem.
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.
Change the storage type from gp2 to io1
Why it's wrong here
Storage performance does not affect memory or swap.
Increase the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory
Why this is correct
More memory reduces the need for swap.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Delete archived redo logs to free up space
Why it's wrong here
This frees disk space, not memory.
Enable Multi-AZ to distribute the load
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides high availability, not additional memory for the primary instance.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse high swap usage with a storage performance or availability issue, leading them to choose storage type changes or Multi-AZ, when the real solution is to address insufficient memory by scaling the instance class.
Detailed technical explanation
Swap usage occurs when the Linux kernel (the underlying OS for RDS) moves inactive memory pages to a dedicated swap file on the EBS volume due to insufficient RAM. RDS for Oracle instances have a fixed memory allocation per instance class, and the database's SGA and PGA are configured within that limit; if the workload exceeds available memory, the OS resorts to swapping. Monitoring the CloudWatch metric 'SwapUsage' and correlating it with 'FreeableMemory' helps identify memory pressure, and scaling up to a larger instance class (e.g., from db.r5.large to db.r5.xlarge) increases both the memory ceiling and the database's ability to cache data and code in RAM.
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
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FAQ
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Increase the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory — High swap usage on an Amazon RDS for Oracle DB instance indicates that the operating system is using disk-based swap space as a substitute for physical RAM, which severely degrades database performance. Increasing the DB instance class to a larger size with more memory directly addresses the root cause by providing additional RAM, reducing or eliminating the need for swapping. This is the correct action because swap usage is a memory pressure issue, not a storage or availability problem.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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