The three best practices to avoid database connection exhaustion in Lambda are using RDS Proxy, opening connections only when needed, and increasing the maximum number of database connections in the RDS parameter group. RDS Proxy pools and reuses connections, preventing Lambda’s high concurrency from overwhelming the database, while opening connections only on demand reduces idle consumption. Increasing the max connections in the parameter group directly raises the database’s capacity to handle concurrent Lambda invocations. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of serverless database patterns and the common trap of assuming you can reuse a connection across invocations—Lambda’s ephemeral, stateless environments make that invalid. A static IP is unnecessary for this scenario. Memory tip: think “Proxy, Pool, and Parameter” to recall the three pillars of Lambda RDS connection exhaustion prevention.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 is designing a new serverless application using AWS Lambda. The function needs to access an Amazon RDS database. Which THREE practices should be followed to avoid connection exhaustion?
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 connections
Option A (RDS Proxy) is correct to pool connections. Option B (open connection only when needed) is correct to minimize open connections. Option D (increase max connections) is correct to handle concurrency. Option C (static IP) is unnecessary. Option E (reuse connection across invocations) is wrong because Lambda runs in different environments.
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.
✗
Store the database connection in a global variable to reuse across invocations
Why it's wrong here
Lambda instances are recycled; global variables are not shared across invocations.
✗
Assign a static IP address to the Lambda function
Why it's wrong here
Static IP does not affect connection exhaustion.
✓
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to pool connections
Why this is correct
RDS Proxy manages connection pooling for Lambda.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Open the database connection only when needed and close it after each invocation
Why this is correct
Minimizes open connections.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Increase the maximum number of database connections in the RDS parameter group
Why this is correct
Allows more concurrent connections.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-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.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — 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 connections — Option A (RDS Proxy) is correct to pool connections. Option B (open connection only when needed) is correct to minimize open connections. Option D (increase max connections) is correct to handle concurrency. Option C (static IP) is unnecessary. Option E (reuse connection across invocations) is wrong because Lambda runs in different environments.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-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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