Quick Answer
The answer is DatabaseConnections. This CloudWatch metric is the correct choice because a sudden spike in database connections often indicates that many concurrent queries are running, which can overwhelm the RDS instance and drive CPU utilization above 80%—especially if a specific SQL query is inefficient, blocking others, or spawning excessive connections. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this question tests your ability to correlate CloudWatch metrics with RDS query performance, a key skill for troubleshooting performance bottlenecks. A common trap is to look for a metric that directly names a query, but CloudWatch alone cannot identify specific SQL statements; you would need Performance Insights or slow query logs for that. The exam expects you to recognize that DatabaseConnections is the closest proxy metric linking high CPU to query activity. Memory tip: think “Connections = Queries in the queue” to remember that a connection spike often signals a problematic query.
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring, logging, and remediation. 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 SysOps administrator notices that an Amazon RDS for MySQL instance's CPU utilization has been consistently above 80% for the past hour. Which CloudWatch metric should the administrator examine to determine whether the high CPU is due to a specific SQL query?
WriteIOPS
Why wrong: WriteIOPS measures write operations per second, not CPU usage directly.
FreeableMemory
Why wrong: FreeableMemory measures available memory, not CPU usage.
DatabaseConnections
A high number of database connections can cause high CPU due to query processing.
ReadLatency
Why wrong: ReadLatency measures storage read response time, not CPU.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
DatabaseConnections
The correct answer is C, DatabaseConnections, because a high number of database connections can indicate that many concurrent queries are running, which could be caused by a specific SQL query that is inefficient or blocking others. However, to directly identify a specific SQL query causing high CPU, you would need to use Performance Insights or the slow query log, not a CloudWatch metric alone. DatabaseConnections is the closest metric among the options that correlates with query activity, as a sudden spike in connections often points to problematic queries.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
WriteIOPS
Why it's wrong here
WriteIOPS measures write operations per second, not CPU usage directly.
FreeableMemory
Why it's wrong here
FreeableMemory measures available memory, not CPU usage.
DatabaseConnections
Why this is correct
A high number of database connections can cause high CPU due to query processing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ReadLatency
Why it's wrong here
ReadLatency measures storage read response time, not CPU.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates assume a CloudWatch metric like DatabaseConnections directly identifies a specific SQL query, but in reality, CloudWatch metrics only show aggregate behavior, and you need additional tools like Performance Insights or slow query logs to pinpoint the exact query.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, RDS for MySQL uses CloudWatch metrics like DatabaseConnections to track the number of client connections, but identifying a specific query requires enabling Performance Insights, which provides a 'db.load.avg' metric and SQL digest data. In a real-world scenario, a single poorly optimized query (e.g., a full table scan on a large table) can cause high CPU while keeping connections stable, so DatabaseConnections alone may not reveal the culprit; you need to correlate with query-level metrics from Performance Insights or slow query logs.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — This question tests Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: DatabaseConnections — The correct answer is C, DatabaseConnections, because a high number of database connections can indicate that many concurrent queries are running, which could be caused by a specific SQL query that is inefficient or blocking others. However, to directly identify a specific SQL query causing high CPU, you would need to use Performance Insights or the slow query log, not a CloudWatch metric alone. DatabaseConnections is the closest metric among the options that correlates with query activity, as a sudden spike in connections often points to problematic queries.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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