- A
Implement connection pooling in the application.
Why wrong: Connection pooling does not reduce failover time.
- B
Use a custom DNS CNAME record pointing to the RDS endpoint.
CNAME allows DNS update after failover, reducing downtime.
- C
Set the DNS TTL to a higher value.
Why wrong: Higher TTL increases DNS cache duration, potentially increasing downtime.
- D
Configure the application to use the RDS instance ID instead of endpoint.
Why wrong: Instance ID is not a network address.
Question 1,409 of 1,730
Use Low TTL CNAME for Faster Failover Recovery
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.
A company has an Amazon RDS for SQL Server DB instance with Multi-AZ deployment. During a recent failover test, the application experienced a longer downtime than expected. The application uses a single connection string. What change should be made to reduce failover downtime?
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
✓
Use a custom DNS CNAME record pointing to the RDS endpoint.
Using a custom DNS CNAME record that points to the RDS endpoint allows the application to control the DNS Time-To-Live (TTL) value independently. By setting a low TTL (e.g., 5 seconds) on the CNAME, the application's DNS resolver will refresh the IP address more quickly after a failover, reducing the time the application spends trying to connect to the old, unreachable primary instance. This minimizes downtime because the application can resolve the new primary's IP address sooner, rather than relying on the default RDS endpoint's TTL, which is typically set to 60 seconds and cannot be modified.
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.
- ✗
Implement connection pooling in the application.
Why it's wrong here
Connection pooling does not reduce failover time.
- ✓
Use a custom DNS CNAME record pointing to the RDS endpoint.
Why this is correct
CNAME allows DNS update after failover, reducing downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Set the DNS TTL to a higher value.
Why it's wrong here
Higher TTL increases DNS cache duration, potentially increasing downtime.
- ✗
Configure the application to use the RDS instance ID instead of endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
Instance ID is not a network address.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think connection pooling (Option A) reduces failover downtime, but it actually addresses connection overhead, not DNS resolution delays, which is the primary cause of extended downtime during a Multi-AZ failover.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Multi-AZ failover updates the DNS record for the RDS endpoint to point to the new primary's IP address. The default TTL for RDS DNS records is 60 seconds, meaning clients cache the old IP for up to 60 seconds before re-resolving. By creating a custom CNAME with a TTL as low as 1 second, the application can re-resolve almost immediately after failover, drastically reducing the window of connectivity loss. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for latency-sensitive applications where even a few seconds of downtime can impact SLAs.
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.
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.
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: Use a custom DNS CNAME record pointing to the RDS endpoint. — Using a custom DNS CNAME record that points to the RDS endpoint allows the application to control the DNS Time-To-Live (TTL) value independently. By setting a low TTL (e.g., 5 seconds) on the CNAME, the application's DNS resolver will refresh the IP address more quickly after a failover, reducing the time the application spends trying to connect to the old, unreachable primary instance. This minimizes downtime because the application can resolve the new primary's IP address sooner, rather than relying on the default RDS endpoint's TTL, which is typically set to 60 seconds and cannot be modified.
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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