MCQs on Database Operations and Maintenance | AWS RDS Quiz
Are you preparing for an AWS RDS certification or seeking to improve your knowledge of database operations and maintenance? This guide features 30 expertly designed multiple-choice questions on topics like importing/exporting data, updating database instances, scaling databases, and RDS pricing models. These AWS RDS MCQ questions and answers will help you test and refine your skills effectively. Check out the answers at the end for self-assessment.
Chapter 5: Database Operations and Maintenance
1. Importing and Exporting Data
- What AWS service simplifies data transfer to and from RDS?
a. AWS Snowball
b. AWS DataSync
c. AWS DMS
d. AWS Glue - Which file format is commonly used for bulk importing data into RDS?
a. PDF
b. CSV
c. JPEG
d. XML - What feature ensures secure data migration in AWS RDS?
a. Encrypted VPN tunnels
b. AWS Glue Studio
c. Data Masking
d. KMS Integration - AWS RDS supports import/export via which method for MySQL?
a. Data Pipelines
b. mysqldump
c. Snowcone
d. EMR - What tool is typically used to import large datasets into RDS PostgreSQL?
a. pg_dump
b. RDS Query Editor
c. EC2 Migration Toolkit
d. DMS Console
2. Updating Database Instances (Patching and Upgrades)
- What is the default behavior of AWS RDS during automatic patching?
a. Creates a manual snapshot
b. Reboots the instance
c. Changes the instance class
d. Disables write operations - How can you manually control patching in AWS RDS?
a. Use Custom AMI
b. Schedule maintenance windows
c. Set RDS Update Flags
d. Enable Lambda triggers - What should you monitor before applying an RDS upgrade?
a. Network ACLs
b. CPU utilization
c. Application downtime tolerance
d. Connection pooling settings - AWS RDS supports in-place upgrades for which database engines?
a. Aurora and Oracle
b. MySQL and PostgreSQL
c. DynamoDB and Neptune
d. Redshift and ElastiCache - Which option ensures zero downtime for RDS upgrades?
a. Read replicas
b. Blue/Green deployments
c. Backup restoration
d. Multi-AZ failover
3. Scaling Databases (Read Replicas, Vertical Scaling)
- Read replicas are supported in which RDS database engines?
a. Only Aurora
b. Only MySQL and PostgreSQL
c. All RDS-supported engines
d. None - Vertical scaling involves:
a. Adding more storage disks
b. Increasing instance class size
c. Replicating the database
d. Cloning the environment - What is a limitation of read replicas?
a. No encryption support
b. Increased write latency
c. Only asynchronous replication
d. No backup functionality - How is auto-scaling achieved in RDS?
a. Enabling Auto-Tune
b. Using Aurora Serverless
c. Scaling EC2 instances
d. Increasing IOPS - Which scenario requires vertical scaling?
a. High read traffic
b. Increasing storage capacity
c. CPU-bound workloads
d. Both a and b
4. Understanding RDS Pricing Models
- Which factor does not affect RDS pricing?
a. Data transfer
b. Storage type
c. Instance region
d. Security Group Rules - What is the pricing benefit of Reserved Instances?
a. On-demand flexibility
b. Discounted hourly rates
c. Automatic scaling
d. Free backups - Which pricing model is most cost-effective for unpredictable workloads?
a. Reserved Instances
b. Spot Instances
c. On-demand Instances
d. Fixed Pricing - What does the AWS Free Tier offer for RDS?
a. 1 GB free backup storage
b. 750 hours of usage per month
c. 24/7 premium support
d. Unlimited storage capacity - Aurora pricing is unique because it charges for:
a. Only IOPS
b. Storage and I/O separately
c. Instance types only
d. Prepaid resource allocation
Expert Section (Chapters 6–10)
21–25. Advanced Monitoring and Performance Tuning
- Which metric is essential for monitoring RDS performance?
a. Disk queue depth
b. DNS latency
c. Lambda invocation rate
d. Firewall rules - RDS Performance Insights provides data retention for how many days?
a. 7 days
b. 30 days
c. 60 days
d. 90 days - What tool helps optimize RDS SQL queries?
a. AWS QuickSight
b. Query Execution Plans
c. Kinesis Streams
d. Amazon Macie - What action is recommended for high CPU usage in RDS?
a. Reboot the instance
b. Upgrade the instance class
c. Adjust RDS backups
d. Enable Multi-AZ - What does the Amazon RDS Enhanced Monitoring feature provide?
a. API logs
b. Real-time OS metrics
c. Cost analysis
d. Database tuning insights
26–30. Backup and Disaster Recovery
- What backup type does AWS RDS offer by default?
a. Incremental backups
b. Manual snapshots
c. Full backups
d. Differential backups - How long can automated backups be retained in RDS?
a. 15 days
b. 35 days
c. 60 days
d. 90 days - What feature supports cross-region disaster recovery?
a. DataSync Replication
b. Multi-AZ
c. Read Replicas
d. AWS Backup Vault - Snapshots in RDS are:
a. Automatically deleted after 7 days
b. Restorable to point-in-time
c. Read-only copies
d. Synchronized in real time - What does Multi-AZ deployment ensure?
a. High read throughput
b. Enhanced backup storage
c. Automatic failover
d. Reduced instance costs
Answer Key
| QNo | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | c. AWS DMS |
| 2 | b. CSV |
| 3 | d. KMS Integration |
| 4 | b. mysqldump |
| 5 | a. pg_dump |
| 6 | b. Reboots the instance |
| 7 | b. Schedule maintenance windows |
| 8 | c. Application downtime tolerance |
| 9 | b. MySQL and PostgreSQL |
| 10 | b. Blue/Green deployments |
| 11 | b. Only MySQL and PostgreSQL |
| 12 | b. Increasing instance class size |
| 13 | c. Only asynchronous replication |
| 14 | b. Using Aurora Serverless |
| 15 | c. CPU-bound workloads |
| 16 | d. Security Group Rules |
| 17 | b. Discounted hourly rates |
| 18 | c. On-demand Instances |
| 19 | b. 750 hours of usage per month |
| 20 | b. Storage and I/O separately |
| 21 | a. Disk queue depth |
| 22 | b. 30 days |
| 23 | b. Query Execution Plans |
| 24 | b. Upgrade the instance class |
| 25 | b. Real-time OS metrics |
| 26 | a. Incremental backups |
| 27 | b. 35 days |
| 28 | c. Read Replicas |
| 29 | b. Restorable to point-in-time |
| 30 | c. Automatic failover |