- A
Migrate the database to Amazon DynamoDB.
Why wrong: DynamoDB is a different database; this does not address connection pooling for RDS.
- B
Increase the concurrency limit of the Lambda function.
Why wrong: Increasing concurrency would create more simultaneous connections, worsening the pool exhaustion.
- C
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool and share database connections.
RDS Proxy manages connection pooling, allowing Lambda functions to share connections efficiently.
- D
Use Amazon ElastiCache to cache database connections.
Why wrong: ElastiCache is for caching data, not database connections.
Question 1,109 of 1,616
RDS Proxy for Lambda Database Connections
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. 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 developer is using Amazon API Gateway to expose a Lambda function as a REST API. The Lambda function queries an Amazon RDS database. Under heavy load, the database connection pool is exhausted, causing errors. What is the BEST way to manage database connections in this serverless architecture?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool and share database connections.
Amazon RDS Proxy sits between Lambda and RDS, managing a pool of database connections that can be reused across multiple concurrent Lambda invocations. This prevents connection exhaustion under heavy load without requiring code changes, as the proxy handles connection multiplexing and keeps idle connections warm.
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.
- ✗
Migrate the database to Amazon DynamoDB.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is a different database; this does not address connection pooling for RDS.
- ✗
Increase the concurrency limit of the Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing concurrency would create more simultaneous connections, worsening the pool exhaustion.
- ✓
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool and share database connections.
Why this is correct
RDS Proxy manages connection pooling, allowing Lambda functions to share connections efficiently.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon ElastiCache to cache database connections.
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache is for caching data, not database connections.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse connection pooling with caching (ElastiCache) or assume scaling Lambda concurrency will solve the issue, when in fact it exacerbates the connection exhaustion problem.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS Proxy uses a connection broker that maintains a warm pool of connections to the database, reusing them across multiple Lambda invocations via the MySQL or PostgreSQL wire protocol. It also supports IAM authentication, reducing the need to store credentials in Lambda environment variables. Under the hood, the proxy can handle up to 10,000 concurrent connections while keeping the actual database connection count low, which is critical when Lambda scales rapidly.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool and share database connections. — Amazon RDS Proxy sits between Lambda and RDS, managing a pool of database connections that can be reused across multiple concurrent Lambda invocations. This prevents connection exhaustion under heavy load without requiring code changes, as the proxy handles connection multiplexing and keeps idle connections warm.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
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