The correct answer is to create a read replica of the RDS MySQL DB instance and modify the application connection string to use the reader endpoint. This solution directly addresses the need to offload read traffic from the primary instance because the reader endpoint automatically distributes incoming connections across all available read replicas, reducing the load on the source database without requiring complex application rewrites. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of RDS read replica architecture and the distinction between the writer and reader endpoints—a common trap is suggesting a Multi-AZ deployment, which only provides high availability and failover, not read scaling. The key insight is that offloading read traffic requires horizontal scaling via replicas, not just redundancy. Memory tip: think “reader endpoint for read scaling, writer endpoint for writes only.”
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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.
A company has a monolithic application running on a single Amazon RDS for MySQL DB instance. The application is experiencing performance issues due to heavy read traffic. The company wants to implement a solution that offloads read traffic with minimal application changes. What should a solutions architect do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a read replica of the RDS instance and modify the application connection string to use the reader endpoint.
Creating a read replica of the RDS for MySQL DB instance and modifying the application connection string to use the reader endpoint offloads read traffic from the primary instance with minimal application changes. The reader endpoint automatically distributes connections across all read replicas, reducing the load on the primary instance without requiring code changes beyond updating the connection string.
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 of the RDS instance and modify the application connection string to use the reader endpoint.
Why this is correct
Read replicas offload read traffic and the reader endpoint distributes reads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Migrate the application to use Amazon DynamoDB with global tables.
Why it's wrong here
This requires significant application changes.
✗
Use Amazon RDS Multi-AZ with a standby instance for read traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ standby is not used for read traffic.
✗
Implement Amazon ElastiCache in front of the database to cache read queries.
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache requires application changes to implement caching logic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ standby instances with read replicas, not realizing that Multi-AZ standby instances are strictly for high availability and cannot serve read traffic, while read replicas are specifically designed to offload read workloads.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon RDS read replicas use asynchronous replication from the primary instance to the replica, with a replication lag typically under a second in normal conditions. The reader endpoint uses DNS round-robin to distribute connections across all read replicas, but it does not provide load balancing for individual queries; applications must be designed to tolerate eventual consistency if they read from replicas. In real-world scenarios, read replicas can also be promoted to standalone instances for disaster recovery, adding operational flexibility.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a read replica of the RDS instance and modify the application connection string to use the reader endpoint. — Creating a read replica of the RDS for MySQL DB instance and modifying the application connection string to use the reader endpoint offloads read traffic from the primary instance with minimal application changes. The reader endpoint automatically distributes connections across all read replicas, reducing the load on the primary instance without requiring code changes beyond updating the connection string.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 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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Question Discussion
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