- A
Add Aurora read replicas and send read-only traffic to the reader endpoint.
Aurora read replicas are the right way to scale read-heavy workloads and reduce pressure on the writer instance. By directing read-only traffic to the reader endpoint, the application can offload product-page queries while keeping writes on the primary instance. Because a small amount of replication lag is acceptable, this approach aligns well with the workload's consistency and performance needs.
- B
Increase the writer instance size and keep all traffic on the primary.
Why wrong: A larger writer may temporarily relieve CPU pressure, but it does not solve the architectural issue of read traffic competing with writes. The application would still send every query to the primary instance, limiting future scalability. Since the reads can tolerate a bit of lag, offloading them to replicas is a better design.
- C
Replace Aurora with DynamoDB to eliminate replication lag.
Why wrong: Switching database engines would require major application redesign and is not the simplest answer to a read-scaling problem in Aurora. DynamoDB has different query patterns, data modeling rules, and consistency behavior. The question asks how to improve the current Aurora architecture, so a full migration is unnecessary and too disruptive.
- D
Enable Multi-AZ failover only, because it increases read throughput automatically.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ improves availability and failover behavior, but it is not a read-scaling feature. It ensures that the database can recover quickly if the primary fails, yet it does not automatically redirect large volumes of read traffic away from the writer for performance purposes. The problem here is read load, not just availability.
Quick Answer
The answer is to add Aurora read replicas and route read-only queries to the reader endpoint. This is correct because Aurora replicas share the same distributed storage volume as the writer instance, so they can serve SELECT traffic with minimal replication lag—typically under 100 milliseconds—while offloading CPU-intensive reads from the primary. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to scale read-heavy workloads without resizing the writer, and a common trap is choosing to simply increase the writer instance size, which wastes cost and doesn’t isolate read traffic. Remember that Aurora’s shared storage means replicas don’t copy data; they just replay redo logs, making them ideal for offloading read queries with near-zero lag. Memory tip: “Reader endpoint, not writer—offload reads, not writes.”
SAA-C03 Design Secure Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design secure architectures. 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.
An e-commerce application uses Aurora MySQL. Writes are modest, but the product-detail page generates many read-only queries and the writer instance CPU is high. The application can tolerate a small amount of replication lag on those reads. What should the team do?
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
Add Aurora read replicas and send read-only traffic to the reader endpoint.
Adding Aurora read replicas and directing read-only traffic to the reader endpoint offloads SELECT queries from the writer instance, reducing its CPU load. Aurora replicas share the same underlying storage volume, so replication lag is minimal (typically <100ms) and acceptable for the product-detail page. This scales read throughput without increasing writer instance size or cost.
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.
- ✓
Add Aurora read replicas and send read-only traffic to the reader endpoint.
Why this is correct
Aurora read replicas are the right way to scale read-heavy workloads and reduce pressure on the writer instance. By directing read-only traffic to the reader endpoint, the application can offload product-page queries while keeping writes on the primary instance. Because a small amount of replication lag is acceptable, this approach aligns well with the workload's consistency and performance needs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the writer instance size and keep all traffic on the primary.
Why it's wrong here
A larger writer may temporarily relieve CPU pressure, but it does not solve the architectural issue of read traffic competing with writes. The application would still send every query to the primary instance, limiting future scalability. Since the reads can tolerate a bit of lag, offloading them to replicas is a better design.
- ✗
Replace Aurora with DynamoDB to eliminate replication lag.
Why it's wrong here
Switching database engines would require major application redesign and is not the simplest answer to a read-scaling problem in Aurora. DynamoDB has different query patterns, data modeling rules, and consistency behavior. The question asks how to improve the current Aurora architecture, so a full migration is unnecessary and too disruptive.
- ✗
Enable Multi-AZ failover only, because it increases read throughput automatically.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ improves availability and failover behavior, but it is not a read-scaling feature. It ensures that the database can recover quickly if the primary fails, yet it does not automatically redirect large volumes of read traffic away from the writer for performance purposes. The problem here is read load, not just availability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing Multi-AZ (which only provides failover) with read replicas (which offload reads), leading candidates to pick Option D thinking it improves read performance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora read replicas (up to 15) connect to the same cluster volume and serve reads with sub-second lag; the reader endpoint load-balances across all replicas automatically. Under the hood, Aurora uses a distributed storage system where the writer commits redo logs, and replicas apply them asynchronously, ensuring consistency without full data copies. In practice, for a product-detail page that tolerates eventual consistency, this pattern can reduce writer CPU from 90% to under 30% with just two replicas.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Secure Architectures — This question tests Design Secure Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add Aurora read replicas and send read-only traffic to the reader endpoint. — Adding Aurora read replicas and directing read-only traffic to the reader endpoint offloads SELECT queries from the writer instance, reducing its CPU load. Aurora replicas share the same underlying storage volume, so replication lag is minimal (typically <100ms) and acceptable for the product-detail page. This scales read throughput without increasing writer instance size or cost.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 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: Jun 11, 2026
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