The answer is to create a CloudWatch alarm on the DatabaseConnections metric that triggers a Lambda function to increase the max_connections parameter. This is correct because the 'Too many connections' error occurs when the current connection count hits the hard limit set by max_connections; dynamically raising that limit through a parameter group modification (applied immediately or with a reboot) directly resolves the bottleneck. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of reactive automation versus preventive architecture—a common trap is confusing RDS Proxy (which pools connections but doesn't change the limit) or scaling storage (which doesn't affect connections) with the actual fix. Remember, when connections spike, you must raise the ceiling, not just manage the traffic. Memory tip: "Alarm the count, Lambda the mount."
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 company uses Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ deployment. The database experiences a sudden spike in connections, causing some application requests to fail with 'Too many connections' errors. The DevOps team needs to automate a response to this incident. What is the MOST effective solution?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the DatabaseConnections metric to trigger a Lambda function that increases the max_connections parameter.
Option D is correct because the issue is a connection spike that exceeds the max_connections parameter. Using a CloudWatch alarm on 'DatabaseConnections' to invoke a Lambda function that modifies the DB parameter group (requires reboot or apply immediately) can increase the limit. Option A is wrong because scaling storage does not increase max_connections. Option B is wrong because Multi-AZ is for high availability, not scaling connections. Option C is wrong because RDS Proxy manages connection pooling but does not change the max_connections limit; it would have been a preventive measure.
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 to distribute the load across two instances.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides a standby replica; only one instance handles writes.
✓
Create a CloudWatch alarm on the DatabaseConnections metric to trigger a Lambda function that increases the max_connections parameter.
Why this is correct
This automates the response to increase the connection limit when spikes occur.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool and share database connections.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Proxy helps manage connections but does not increase the max_connections limit.
✗
Use an Auto Scaling policy to increase the RDS instance size.
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not support Auto Scaling based on connections; you must manually scale or use a Lambda action.
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: Create a CloudWatch alarm on the DatabaseConnections metric to trigger a Lambda function that increases the max_connections parameter. — Option D is correct because the issue is a connection spike that exceeds the max_connections parameter. Using a CloudWatch alarm on 'DatabaseConnections' to invoke a Lambda function that modifies the DB parameter group (requires reboot or apply immediately) can increase the limit. Option A is wrong because scaling storage does not increase max_connections. Option B is wrong because Multi-AZ is for high availability, not scaling connections. Option C is wrong because RDS Proxy manages connection pooling but does not change the max_connections limit; it would have been a preventive measure.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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