The correct answer is to resize the cluster to a larger node type or add more nodes. This resolves the disk full error on RA3 nodes because RA3 architecture separates compute from managed storage, meaning storage capacity is tied to the number and type of nodes in the cluster; resizing increases the available managed storage space directly. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that RA3 nodes use Redshift Managed Storage (RMS), so traditional fixes like VACUUM or disabling concurrency scaling do not free disk space—VACUUM only reorganizes data and can even require temporary space, making it counterproductive when the disk is already full. A common trap is assuming VACUUM will reclaim space, but for RA3, you must scale out or up. Memory tip: For RA3, think "Resize to Rise"—adding nodes or upgrading node types is the only way to increase storage when the disk is full.
DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. 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.
A company uses Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. They run a daily ETL job that loads data into the cluster. Recently, the job started failing with 'Disk Full' errors. The cluster has 5 RA3 nodes. Which step should be taken to resolve the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Resize the cluster to a larger node type or add more nodes
Option A is correct because RA3 nodes use managed storage; resizing the cluster to a different node type or adding more nodes can increase storage capacity. Option B is wrong because VACUUM reorganizes data but does not free space if the disk is full; it may even require temporary space. Option C is wrong because Analytics is not a feature that affects storage. Option D is wrong because disabling concurrency scaling does not free disk space.
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.
✗
Disable concurrency scaling to free up resources
Why it's wrong here
Concurrency scaling does not use local disk space.
✗
Run a VACUUM command to reclaim space from deleted rows
Why it's wrong here
VACUUM requires free disk space to operate and may not help if disk is full.
✓
Resize the cluster to a larger node type or add more nodes
Why this is correct
RA3 nodes separate compute and storage; you can increase storage by resizing or adding nodes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Redshift Spectrum to offload queries to S3
Why it's wrong here
Spectrum queries external data in S3 but does not free local storage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Resize the cluster to a larger node type or add more nodes — Option A is correct because RA3 nodes use managed storage; resizing the cluster to a different node type or adding more nodes can increase storage capacity. Option B is wrong because VACUUM reorganizes data but does not free space if the disk is full; it may even require temporary space. Option C is wrong because Analytics is not a feature that affects storage. Option D is wrong because disabling concurrency scaling does not free disk space.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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