The correct answer is to implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster and modify the application to cache frequent queries. This solution directly addresses the need to reduce RDS CPU load with ElastiCache caching by offloading repetitive read operations from the database to an in-memory cache, which drastically lowers CPU utilization and connection counts without requiring deep application rewrites. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between scaling tactics (like read replicas or larger instances) and caching strategies when the bottleneck is high-frequency reads and connection limits, not just raw throughput. A common trap is choosing read replicas, but they still consume connections and CPU on the primary instance for writes; ElastiCache offloads reads entirely. Memory tip: “Cache the hot path, not just the hard path”—if the database is hot (high CPU), cache the frequent queries first.
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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 runs a customer-facing web application on EC2 instances behind an Application Load Balancer. The application stores session data in an RDS MySQL database. Recently, they have been experiencing increased latency and occasional timeouts during peak hours. The operations team has observed that the RDS instance's CPU utilization is consistently above 80%, and the number of database connections is near the maximum allowed. The application code is not easily modifiable in the short term. The company needs a solution that reduces the load on the database with minimal changes to the application. What should a solutions architect recommend?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster and modify the application to cache frequent queries.
Option C is correct because implementing an in-memory cache like ElastiCache can offload frequent reads, reducing database load without code changes if the application uses caching libraries or can be configured to use a caching layer. Option A is wrong because read replicas would help with read scaling, but the issue is both CPU and connections; also, the application might not be read-heavy. Option B is wrong because switching to Aurora would require migration and may not address the connection limit. Option D is wrong because increasing instance size is a temporary fix and doesn't address the architectural issue.
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.
✗
Increase the RDS instance size to a larger instance type.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up helps temporarily but is not cost-effective and does not solve the root cause.
✗
Create an RDS read replica and offload read traffic to it.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas don't reduce write load or connection count; they also require application changes to route reads.
✓
Implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster and modify the application to cache frequent queries.
Why this is correct
Caching reduces database load and can be done with minimal code changes if using a caching abstraction.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Migrate the database to Amazon Aurora with Multi-AZ.
Why it's wrong here
Aurora improves performance but still has connection limits; migration takes time and effort.
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 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 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.
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: Implement an Amazon ElastiCache cluster and modify the application to cache frequent queries. — Option C is correct because implementing an in-memory cache like ElastiCache can offload frequent reads, reducing database load without code changes if the application uses caching libraries or can be configured to use a caching layer. Option A is wrong because read replicas would help with read scaling, but the issue is both CPU and connections; also, the application might not be read-heavy. Option B is wrong because switching to Aurora would require migration and may not address the connection limit. Option D is wrong because increasing instance size is a temporary fix and doesn't address the architectural issue.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.