Quick Answer
The answer is to enable eviction with the volatile-LRU policy. This configuration directly addresses high memory usage by automatically removing the least recently used keys that have a time-to-live (TTL) set, effectively freeing space for new data without manual intervention. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how ElastiCache for Redis manages memory under pressure, specifically distinguishing between scaling (which increases cost) and eviction (which optimizes existing resources). A common trap is confusing persistence or replication changes with memory reduction—neither writes to memory nor removes data. Remember the mnemonic: “Volatile-LRU: evicts the old, keeps the new, no scaling gold.”
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and troubleshooting. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 developer reports that an Amazon ElastiCache for Redis cluster's memory usage is consistently above 90%. The application uses Redis for caching and session storage. Which configuration change would MOST effectively reduce memory pressure?
Enable eviction with volatile-LRU policy
Eviction removes less-used keys when memory is full.
Scale up to a larger node type
Why wrong: Scaling up adds cost without addressing why memory is full.
Enable AOF persistence to free memory
Why wrong: Persistence uses disk, not memory; it does not free memory.
Disable replication to reduce memory overhead
Why wrong: Replication does not significantly affect memory usage.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable eviction with volatile-LRU policy
Option B is correct because enabling eviction with a volatile-LRU policy frees memory by removing expired keys. Option A is wrong because scaling up increases memory but costs more. Option C is wrong because persistence writes to disk, not memory. Option D is wrong because disabling replication does not reduce memory usage.
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.
Enable eviction with volatile-LRU policy
Why this is correct
Eviction removes less-used keys when memory is full.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Scale up to a larger node type
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up adds cost without addressing why memory is full.
Enable AOF persistence to free memory
Why it's wrong here
Persistence uses disk, not memory; it does not free memory.
Disable replication to reduce memory overhead
Why it's wrong here
Replication does not significantly affect memory usage.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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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FAQ
Monitoring and Troubleshooting — This question tests Monitoring and Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Enable eviction with volatile-LRU policy — Option B is correct because enabling eviction with a volatile-LRU policy frees memory by removing expired keys. Option A is wrong because scaling up increases memory but costs more. Option C is wrong because persistence writes to disk, not memory. Option D is wrong because disabling replication does not reduce memory usage.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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