hardMultiple Choice
200-901 Practice Question: In the context of microservices for network…
In the context of microservices for network automation, which pattern ensures that each service has a separate database to avoid tight coupling?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the Database per service pattern by contrasting it with the Shared Database anti-pattern, where candidates mistakenly think sharing a database simplifies development, but the exam emphasizes that it creates tight coupling and violates microservices design principles.
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
✓
Database per service
The Database per service pattern ensures each microservice owns its private database, preventing tight coupling by eliminating shared schema dependencies. This aligns with the bounded context principle in domain-driven design, where each service manages its own data model independently, enabling autonomous deployments and scaling.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Circuit breaker
Why it's wrong here
Circuit breaker handles fault tolerance by halting calls to a failing service, not data ownership, so it does nothing to give each service its own database. It is tempting because it is a well-known microservices resilience pattern, and it would be correct when the requirement is preventing cascading failures across service calls rather than decoupling persistence.
- ✓
Database per service
Why this is correct
Database per service gives each microservice private, dedicated storage, so no service reads or writes another's schema directly. This satisfies the stem's constraint of avoiding tight coupling, since changes to one service's data model cannot break others. Services then integrate only through APIs or events, preserving independent deployment and scaling.
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API gateway
Why it's wrong here
An API gateway fronts client requests and routes them to backend services; it does not assign separate databases to services or remove their shared persistence coupling. It is tempting because it is a core microservices pattern for external access, and it would be correct when the requirement is a single entry point for clients rather than database-per-service isolation.
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Shared database
Why it's wrong here
A shared database directly creates the coupling the pattern must avoid, since every service reads and writes the same schema and cannot evolve independently. It is tempting because a single database simplifies joins and transactions, and suits a monolithic application where all modules deploy together.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-901 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco 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 200-901 exam.