The answer is that the gp2 volume has exhausted its burst credits, causing the write latency spike. When a gp2 volume depletes its I/O credit balance, it falls back to its baseline performance of 3 IOPS per GB, which can be significantly slower than the burst rate, directly manifesting as a sharp increase in WriteLatency in CloudWatch metrics. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of gp2 burst mechanics and how exhaustion manifests as a latency event rather than an outage. A common trap is confusing this with a Multi-AZ failover or a snapshot operation, both of which cause brief downtime or I/O suspension, not a sustained latency spike. Remember the memory tip: “Burst gone, latency on” — when burst credits are depleted, latency climbs as the volume throttles to baseline performance.
DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A database administrator runs the AWS CLI command to retrieve CloudWatch metrics for an Amazon RDS DB instance. The output shows a spike in WriteLatency at 10:05 UTC. What is the most likely cause of this spike?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The DB instance's gp2 volume has exhausted its burst credits.
Option A is correct because a sudden spike in write latency often indicates that the storage volume has exhausted its burst credits and is now using baseline performance, which may be slower. Option B is incorrect because a large number of connections typically causes increased CPU and memory usage, not necessarily a latency spike. Option C is incorrect because a Multi-AZ failover would cause a brief downtime, not a latency spike. Option D is incorrect because a snapshot would cause I/O suspension, not a latency spike.
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.
✓
The DB instance's gp2 volume has exhausted its burst credits.
Why this is correct
Exhausted burst credits cause the volume to operate at baseline performance, leading to higher latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The DB instance is in the process of taking a snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots cause I/O suspension, not a latency spike.
✗
There is a large number of concurrent connections to the DB instance.
Why it's wrong here
Concurrent connections typically cause CPU or memory issues, not a sudden latency spike.
✗
The DB instance experienced a Multi-AZ failover.
Why it's wrong here
A failover would cause a brief interruption, not a latency spike.
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.
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.
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: The DB instance's gp2 volume has exhausted its burst credits. — Option A is correct because a sudden spike in write latency often indicates that the storage volume has exhausted its burst credits and is now using baseline performance, which may be slower. Option B is incorrect because a large number of connections typically causes increased CPU and memory usage, not necessarily a latency spike. Option C is incorrect because a Multi-AZ failover would cause a brief downtime, not a latency spike. Option D is incorrect because a snapshot would cause I/O suspension, not a latency spike.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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