- A
Add a read replica to offload reads
Why wrong: Read replicas do not reduce failover time.
- B
Reduce the DNS TTL value to 5 seconds
Why wrong: DNS TTL affects client DNS caching but the failover time is dominated by database recovery, not DNS.
- C
Enable Automatic Failover in the RDS console
Why wrong: Automatic failover is already enabled in Multi-AZ deployments.
- D
Migrate to Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ and use the Aurora auto-failover feature
Aurora failover is typically under 30 seconds, and it provides faster recovery than RDS Multi-AZ.
Question 1,689 of 1,730
Reducing RDS Multi-AZ Failover Downtime by Migrating to Aurora
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 uses Amazon RDS for Oracle with a Multi-AZ deployment for a critical OLTP application. During a recent failover test, they noticed that the application experienced a two-minute downtime. The team wants to reduce downtime to under 30 seconds during automatic failovers. What should they do?
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
✓
Migrate to Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ and use the Aurora auto-failover feature
Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ provides faster failover than RDS for Oracle because Aurora uses a shared storage architecture and a cluster endpoint that automatically redirects traffic to the replica within 30 seconds, often in as little as 15 seconds. In contrast, RDS for Oracle Multi-AZ relies on DNS record updates and a standby instance that must be promoted, which typically takes 60–120 seconds. Migrating to Aurora eliminates the DNS propagation delay and the need for storage failover, meeting the sub-30-second requirement.
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.
- ✗
Add a read replica to offload reads
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas do not reduce failover time.
- ✗
Reduce the DNS TTL value to 5 seconds
Why it's wrong here
DNS TTL affects client DNS caching but the failover time is dominated by database recovery, not DNS.
- ✗
Enable Automatic Failover in the RDS console
Why it's wrong here
Automatic failover is already enabled in Multi-AZ deployments.
- ✓
Migrate to Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ and use the Aurora auto-failover feature
Why this is correct
Aurora failover is typically under 30 seconds, and it provides faster recovery than RDS Multi-AZ.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume reducing DNS TTL (Option B) will solve the problem, but they overlook that the primary bottleneck in RDS for Oracle failover is the database promotion and recovery time, not just DNS caching.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora's failover is faster because it uses a cluster volume that is shared across all instances, so the replica already has access to the same data without needing to replay redo logs. The writer endpoint (cluster endpoint) is a DNS name that Aurora updates almost instantly, and the replica can begin accepting writes within 15–30 seconds. In contrast, RDS for Oracle Multi-AZ uses synchronous replication to a standby in a different AZ, but failover requires the standby to mount and open the database, which adds significant time due to crash recovery and DNS propagation.
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 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.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Common DNS Record Types
| Record | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address mapping | example.com → 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | IPv6 address mapping | example.com → 2606:2800::1 |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | www → example.com |
| MX | Mail server for domain | example.com → mail.example.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | Text data (SPF, DKIM, verification) | v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all |
| NS | Authoritative name servers | example.com NS ns1.example.com |
| PTR | Reverse DNS (IP → hostname) | 34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa → example.com |
| SOA | Zone authority record | Primary NS, admin email, serial, TTL defaults |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Migrate to Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ and use the Aurora auto-failover feature — Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ provides faster failover than RDS for Oracle because Aurora uses a shared storage architecture and a cluster endpoint that automatically redirects traffic to the replica within 30 seconds, often in as little as 15 seconds. In contrast, RDS for Oracle Multi-AZ relies on DNS record updates and a standby instance that must be promoted, which typically takes 60–120 seconds. Migrating to Aurora eliminates the DNS propagation delay and the need for storage failover, meeting the sub-30-second requirement.
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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