- A
DatabaseConnections
High connection count can indicate the database is overwhelmed.
- B
RequestCount
Why wrong: RequestCount is for the ALB, not the database.
- C
NetworkIn
Why wrong: NetworkIn measures incoming network traffic, which may not directly indicate database performance issues.
- D
ReadIOPS and WriteIOPS
High IOPS can indicate the disk is struggling, causing slow queries.
- E
CPUUtilization
Why wrong: High CPU could indicate a database bottleneck, but it is not as direct as I/O metrics.
Question 196 of 1,616
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is troubleshooting a slow web application. The application uses an Application Load Balancer, EC2 instances, and an RDS database. The developer suspects the database is the bottleneck. Which TWO CloudWatch metrics should the developer examine to confirm this? (Select TWO.)
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
✓
DatabaseConnections
DatabaseConnections is a key metric to examine because a high number of active connections can exhaust the database's connection pool, leading to connection timeouts and slow queries. If this metric is consistently near the maximum allowed connections for the RDS instance, it indicates the database is overwhelmed by concurrent requests. This directly correlates with the developer's suspicion of a database bottleneck.
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.
- ✓
DatabaseConnections
Why this is correct
High connection count can indicate the database is overwhelmed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
RequestCount
Why it's wrong here
RequestCount is for the ALB, not the database.
- ✗
NetworkIn
Why it's wrong here
NetworkIn measures incoming network traffic, which may not directly indicate database performance issues.
- ✓
ReadIOPS and WriteIOPS
Why this is correct
High IOPS can indicate the disk is struggling, causing slow queries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
CPUUtilization
Why it's wrong here
High CPU could indicate a database bottleneck, but it is not as direct as I/O metrics.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose CPUUtilization as a primary indicator of a database bottleneck, but it can be misleading because high CPU may result from application-side processing or non-database workloads, whereas DatabaseConnections and ReadIOPS/WriteIOPS directly reflect database resource contention and I/O saturation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ReadIOPS and WriteIOPS measure the number of input/output operations per second against the RDS storage volume; when these metrics approach the provisioned IOPS limit (e.g., 3000 IOPS for a gp2 volume or the burst balance for t2/t3 instances), the database will throttle requests, causing increased latency and slow application performance. Under the hood, RDS uses Amazon EBS volumes, and exceeding the IOPS baseline triggers a credit-based burst model for gp2 or a hard limit for io1/io2, leading to queueing and timeouts. In a real-world scenario, a sudden spike in ReadIOPS without a corresponding increase in CPU might indicate a missing index or a poorly optimized query causing full table scans.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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Troubleshooting and Optimization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: DatabaseConnections — DatabaseConnections is a key metric to examine because a high number of active connections can exhaust the database's connection pool, leading to connection timeouts and slow queries. If this metric is consistently near the maximum allowed connections for the RDS instance, it indicates the database is overwhelmed by concurrent requests. This directly correlates with the developer's suspicion of a database bottleneck.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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