- A
Create Aurora read replicas and route SELECT queries to an Aurora reader endpoint.
Read replicas increase read capacity, and using the Aurora reader endpoint sends read traffic to replicas.
- B
Scale up the writer instance storage only; read capacity will automatically increase without using a reader endpoint.
Why wrong: Increasing storage does not directly provide extra read compute capacity. Read replicas are what scale reads.
- C
Move the Aurora cluster to Multi-AZ deployment mode only; read scaling is handled automatically without replicas.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ primarily supports high availability. Additional read throughput typically requires reader replicas.
- D
Replace the cluster with a single RDS instance because it offers consistent performance for both reads and writes.
Why wrong: Switching to a single instance removes the ability to scale reads separately and does not match the requirement.
SAA-C03 Design High-Performing Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design high-performing architectures. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.. 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 web application uses an Amazon Aurora DB cluster for a read-heavy workload. The application team needs higher read throughput but cannot change the database schema. They want to avoid blocking writes and are willing to route read traffic separately. What is the most appropriate architecture change?
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 Aurora read replicas and route SELECT queries to an Aurora reader endpoint.
Creating Aurora read replicas and routing SELECT queries to the Aurora reader endpoint is the most appropriate architecture change because Aurora's reader endpoint distributes read traffic across up to 15 low-latency read replicas, providing higher aggregate read throughput without blocking writes. This approach requires no schema changes and allows the application to separate read and write traffic, directly addressing the read-heavy workload requirement.
Key principle: Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.
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 Aurora read replicas and route SELECT queries to an Aurora reader endpoint.
Why this is correct
Read replicas increase read capacity, and using the Aurora reader endpoint sends read traffic to replicas.
Related concept
Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.
- ✗
Scale up the writer instance storage only; read capacity will automatically increase without using a reader endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing storage does not directly provide extra read compute capacity. Read replicas are what scale reads.
- ✗
Move the Aurora cluster to Multi-AZ deployment mode only; read scaling is handled automatically without replicas.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ primarily supports high availability. Additional read throughput typically requires reader replicas.
- ✗
Replace the cluster with a single RDS instance because it offers consistent performance for both reads and writes.
Why it's wrong here
Switching to a single instance removes the ability to scale reads separately and does not match the requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ deployment (which provides failover only) with read replica scaling, or mistakenly believe that scaling storage or using a single instance can improve read throughput without schema changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Aurora uses a shared storage volume where the writer and reader instances access the same data, but readers offload SELECT queries from the writer, reducing contention. The reader endpoint uses DNS round-robin to distribute connections across all available replicas, and Aurora automatically removes failed replicas from the endpoint. In a real-world scenario, this architecture allows the application to scale read capacity elastically by adding replicas during traffic spikes, such as a flash sale, without any application downtime.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.
- Aurora Replicas can be promoted to primary if the original primary fails.
- The Aurora reader endpoint automatically load-balances connections across all Aurora Replicas.
- Up to 15 Aurora Replicas can be created for a single Aurora DB cluster.
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
Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design High-Performing Architectures — This question tests Design High-Performing Architectures — Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create Aurora read replicas and route SELECT queries to an Aurora reader endpoint. — Creating Aurora read replicas and routing SELECT queries to the Aurora reader endpoint is the most appropriate architecture change because Aurora's reader endpoint distributes read traffic across up to 15 low-latency read replicas, providing higher aggregate read throughput without blocking writes. This approach requires no schema changes and allows the application to separate read and write traffic, directly addressing the read-heavy workload requirement.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Review aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Aurora Replicas share the same underlying storage volume as the primary instance.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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