- A
Enable Multi-AZ deployment to offload reads to the standby.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ does not offload reads; the standby is not accessible for reads.
- B
Change the instance type to a larger size with more vCPUs.
Why wrong: Read latency is storage-bound, not compute-bound.
- C
Migrate to an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS.
Increasing IOPS addresses the queue depth and reduces latency.
- D
Increase the allocated storage to 500 GB without changing IOPS.
Why wrong: Increasing gp2 storage increases baseline IOPS, but not as effectively as io1.
Question 354 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
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 database administrator is troubleshooting a sudden increase in read latency on an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL instance. The instance has 200 GB of General Purpose SSD (gp2) storage with 600 provisioned IOPS. The administrator notices that the average queue depth is consistently above 4. Which action is the MOST effective way to reduce read latency?
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 an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS.
Option C is correct because migrating to an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS directly increases the available IOPS, addressing the high queue depth and reducing read latency. Option A is incorrect because Multi-AZ does not allow read traffic to the standby; the standby is only used for failover. Option B is incorrect because increasing the instance size may not resolve the I/O bottleneck if the issue is insufficient IOPS. Option D is incorrect because increasing the allocated storage for gp2 increases baseline IOPS (3 IOPS per GB), but the option specifies not changing IOPS, so it would not help; even if it did, 500 GB would provide 1500 IOPS, which may still not be sufficient.
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 Multi-AZ deployment to offload reads to the standby.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ does not offload reads; the standby is not accessible for reads.
- ✗
Change the instance type to a larger size with more vCPUs.
Why it's wrong here
Read latency is storage-bound, not compute-bound.
- ✓
Migrate to an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS.
Why this is correct
Increasing IOPS addresses the queue depth and reduces latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the allocated storage to 500 GB without changing IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing gp2 storage increases baseline IOPS, but not as effectively as io1.
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.
Visual reference
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.
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Management and Operations — study guide chapter
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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: Migrate to an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS. — Option C is correct because migrating to an io1 volume with 3000 provisioned IOPS directly increases the available IOPS, addressing the high queue depth and reducing read latency. Option A is incorrect because Multi-AZ does not allow read traffic to the standby; the standby is only used for failover. Option B is incorrect because increasing the instance size may not resolve the I/O bottleneck if the issue is insufficient IOPS. Option D is incorrect because increasing the allocated storage for gp2 increases baseline IOPS (3 IOPS per GB), but the option specifies not changing IOPS, so it would not help; even if it did, 500 GB would provide 1500 IOPS, which may still not be sufficient.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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