DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. -- RDS for PostgreSQL log excerpt: 2023-04-01 10:15:00 UTC LOG: checkpoint starting: time 2023-04-01 10:15:00 UTC LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 50000 buffers (5.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed; 10.2 seconds 2023-04-01 10:15:10 UTC LOG: checkpoint starting: time 2023-04-01 10:15:10 UTC LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 52000 buffers (5.2%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed; 10.5 seconds
Refer to the exhibit. An RDS for PostgreSQL instance shows frequent checkpoints every 10 seconds. What is the most likely cause?
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
✓
The 'max_wal_size' parameter is set too low, causing frequent WAL switches.
Frequent checkpoints in PostgreSQL are often caused by small WAL size settings. The 'max_wal_size' parameter controls the maximum size of WAL files before a checkpoint is triggered. If set too low, the database will perform checkpoints more frequently to recycle WAL segments. Option A is incorrect because autovacuum bloat does not directly cause frequent checkpoints. Option B is incorrect because storage space issues may cause other symptoms, but not specifically checkpoint frequency. Option C is incorrect because concurrent connections may increase workload but do not directly cause frequent checkpoints; the checkpoint timing is driven by WAL generation rate and WAL size limits.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Autovacuum is not running, causing bloat.
Why it's wrong here
Bloat may cause but not directly frequent checkpoints.
- ✗
The instance is running out of storage space.
Why it's wrong here
Storage issues may cause freezes, not checkpoints.
- ✗
There are too many concurrent connections.
Why it's wrong here
Connections do not directly cause checkpoints.
- ✓
The 'max_wal_size' parameter is set too low, causing frequent WAL switches.
Why this is correct
Low max_wal_size leads to frequent checkpoints.
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