The correct answer is to add appropriate indexes to optimize the query. This works because indexes allow the database engine to locate rows without performing a full table scan, directly reducing the number of rows read per query and thereby lowering CPU cycles spent on data retrieval. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to interpret Performance Insights metrics and apply database optimization before scaling infrastructure. A common trap is choosing to increase the instance size, which only masks the inefficiency without addressing the root cause of high CPU utilization from scanning. Remember the memory tip: “Index first, scale last”—always fix the query pattern with indexes before considering vertical scaling or read replicas.
DOP-C02 Incident and Event Response Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of incident and event response. 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 DevOps engineer is troubleshooting an issue where an Amazon RDS instance's CPU utilization is consistently high. The engineer has enabled Performance Insights and sees that the top SQL query is a SELECT statement that scans many rows. What is the best course of action to reduce CPU utilization?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add appropriate indexes to optimize the query.
Option D is correct because adding appropriate indexes can reduce the number of rows scanned, thus reducing CPU usage. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size is a temporary fix. Option B is wrong because read replicas are for read traffic, not for reducing CPU on the primary. Option C is wrong because increasing storage does not reduce CPU.
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.
✗
Create a read replica to offload read traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas help with read scaling but do not reduce CPU on the primary if the query is already running there.
✗
Increase the allocated storage to improve I/O.
Why it's wrong here
Storage size does not directly affect CPU utilization.
✗
Increase the DB instance size to handle the load.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up addresses symptoms but not root cause; cost increases without fixing inefficient queries.
✓
Add appropriate indexes to optimize the query.
Why this is correct
Indexes reduce the number of rows scanned, lowering CPU usage.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 DOP-C02 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.
Incident and Event Response — This question tests Incident and Event Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add appropriate indexes to optimize the query. — Option D is correct because adding appropriate indexes can reduce the number of rows scanned, thus reducing CPU usage. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size is a temporary fix. Option B is wrong because read replicas are for read traffic, not for reducing CPU on the primary. Option C is wrong because increasing storage does not reduce CPU.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which DOP-C02 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: "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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This DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
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