- A
Enable Multi-AZ deployment
Why wrong: Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
- B
Create one or more Aurora Replicas
Aurora Replicas are read-only copies that offload read traffic.
- C
Migrate to Amazon DynamoDB
Why wrong: Migrating to DynamoDB would require significant application redesign.
- D
Add an Amazon ElastiCache cluster in front of Aurora
Why wrong: ElastiCache requires application code changes to implement caching logic.
Question 36 of 1,730
Scaling Aurora MySQL Read Traffic with Aurora Replicas
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company uses Amazon Aurora MySQL for its online transaction processing (OLTP) application. Recently, read traffic has increased significantly, causing performance issues. The company wants to offload read traffic with minimal application changes. Which solution should they implement?
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
✓
Create one or more Aurora Replicas
Aurora Replicas are designed specifically to offload read traffic from the primary Aurora instance with minimal application changes. They connect to the same shared storage volume as the primary, so replication is nearly instantaneous and requires no additional storage overhead. The application can use the Aurora reader endpoint to distribute read queries across up to 15 low-latency replicas.
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
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover, not read scaling.
- ✓
Create one or more Aurora Replicas
Why this is correct
Aurora Replicas are read-only copies that offload read traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Migrate to Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Migrating to DynamoDB would require significant application redesign.
- ✗
Add an Amazon ElastiCache cluster in front of Aurora
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache requires application code changes to implement caching logic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Multi-AZ with read scaling, assuming the standby instance can serve reads, but in standard RDS Multi-AZ the standby is not active for reads unless using Aurora's Multi-AZ with reader endpoint, which is actually an Aurora Replica feature.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora Replicas share the same underlying distributed storage volume (6 copies across 3 AZs) as the primary, so replication lag is typically sub-100ms and there is no need to write to separate storage. The reader endpoint automatically load-balances connections across all available replicas, and you can add or remove replicas without downtime. In a real-world scenario, if read traffic spikes due to a reporting dashboard, Aurora Replicas can absorb the load while the primary continues to handle writes with minimal impact.
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.
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
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create one or more Aurora Replicas — Aurora Replicas are designed specifically to offload read traffic from the primary Aurora instance with minimal application changes. They connect to the same shared storage volume as the primary, so replication is nearly instantaneous and requires no additional storage overhead. The application can use the Aurora reader endpoint to distribute read queries across up to 15 low-latency replicas.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on DBS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO strategies can improve query performance in Amazon Aurora MySQL for a read-heavy workload? (Select TWO.)
hard- ✓ A.Enable Aurora Auto Scaling for read replicas
- B.Use Provisioned IOPS EBS volumes for the primary instance
- C.Enable Multi-AZ to create a standby for read traffic
- ✓ D.Create Aurora Replicas and distribute read traffic to them
- E.Migrate the read-heavy queries to Amazon DynamoDB
Why A: Option A is correct because Amazon Aurora Auto Scaling automatically adjusts the number of Aurora Replicas in response to changes in read workload demand, ensuring consistent read performance without manual intervention. This is ideal for read-heavy workloads where traffic patterns fluctuate, as it dynamically adds or removes replicas based on target metrics like CPU utilization or connections.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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