- A
Create a read replica and promote it to a standalone instance during failover.
Why wrong: Manual promotion would increase downtime, not reduce it.
- B
Modify the application to use the IP address of the DB instance instead of the CNAME.
Why wrong: Using IP addresses is not recommended and does not reduce failover time; the CNAME is updated during failover.
- C
Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side to detect and recover from connection drops faster.
TDS Keep-Alive helps the client detect a broken connection sooner and reconnect to the new primary, reducing perceived downtime.
- D
Disable Multi-AZ and use a single-AZ instance to avoid failover overhead.
Why wrong: Disabling Multi-AZ removes high availability, which is not acceptable for a production environment.
Reducing RDS SQL Server Failover Timeout
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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. A key principle to apply: multi-AZ failover. 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 is running an Amazon RDS for SQL Server Multi-AZ DB instance. During a recent failover test, the application experienced a timeout of 60 seconds. The application uses a connection string that points to the CNAME of the DB instance. Which configuration change would reduce the failover time?
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
Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side to detect and recover from connection drops faster.
The correct answer is C: Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side. This allows the client to detect connection drops faster and reconnect to the new primary during failover, reducing the timeout experienced. Option A (Create a read replica and promote it) is a manual process and does not reduce failover time; it is used for read scaling or disaster recovery. Option B (Using the IP address) is not recommended because the IP changes after failover; the CNAME automatically updates to point to the new primary, so using IP would cause longer outages. Option D (Disable Multi-AZ) would eliminate automatic failover, increasing downtime during failures.
Key principle: Multi-AZ failover
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a read replica and promote it to a standalone instance during failover.
Why it's wrong here
Manual promotion would increase downtime, not reduce it.
- ✗
Modify the application to use the IP address of the DB instance instead of the CNAME.
Why it's wrong here
Using IP addresses is not recommended and does not reduce failover time; the CNAME is updated during failover.
- ✓
Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side to detect and recover from connection drops faster.
Why this is correct
TDS Keep-Alive helps the client detect a broken connection sooner and reconnect to the new primary, reducing perceived downtime.
Related concept
Multi-AZ failover
- ✗
Disable Multi-AZ and use a single-AZ instance to avoid failover overhead.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling Multi-AZ removes high availability, which is not acceptable for a production environment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates may think that modifying the connection string to use IP address or disabling Multi-AZ would reduce failover time, but these are incorrect because they either prevent automatic failover or cause connection failures.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Multi-AZ failover
- TDS Keep-Alive
- CNAME endpoint
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
Multi-AZ failover
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. Multi-AZ failover Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Review multi-AZ failover, then practise related DBS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Multi-AZ failover.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side to detect and recover from connection drops faster. — The correct answer is C: Enable TDS Keep-Alive on the client side. This allows the client to detect connection drops faster and reconnect to the new primary during failover, reducing the timeout experienced. Option A (Create a read replica and promote it) is a manual process and does not reduce failover time; it is used for read scaling or disaster recovery. Option B (Using the IP address) is not recommended because the IP changes after failover; the CNAME automatically updates to point to the new primary, so using IP would cause longer outages. Option D (Disable Multi-AZ) would eliminate automatic failover, increasing downtime during failures.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review multi-AZ failover, then practise related DBS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Multi-AZ failover
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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