How to Optimize RDS Oracle Costs with Trusted Advisor in AWS Organizations?

Design cost-optimized database solutions.

Answer Correct answer: A, C — Use Trusted Advisor organizational view from the management account and review RDS Reserved Instance Optimization for high-utilization On-Demand Oracle DBs.

A company runs several Amazon RDS for Oracle On-Demand DB instances that have high utilization. The RDS DB instances run in member accounts that are in an organization in AWS Organizations. The company's finance team has access to the organization's management account and member accounts. The finance team wants to find ways to optimize costs by using AWS Trusted Advisor. Which combination of steps will meet these requirements? (Choose two.)

Use the Trusted Advisor recommendations in the management account. Correct Answer
Use the Trusted Advisor recommendations in the member accounts where the RDS DB instances are running.
Review the Trusted Advisor checks for Amazon RDS Reserved Instance Optimization. Correct Answer
Review the Trusted Advisor checks for Amazon RDS Idle DB Instances.
Review the Trusted Advisor checks for compute optimization. Crosscheck the results by using AWS Compute Optimizer.

Community Insight

It tests whether you know Trusted Advisor's organizational view lets the management account see member-account checks and that high-utilization On-Demand RDS instances point to Reserved Instance optimization, while idle-instance checks are a trap.

This SAA-C03 scenario tests using AWS Trusted Advisor organizational view and the Amazon RDS Reserved Instance Optimization check to reduce costs for high-utilization On-Demand Oracle DB instances across AWS Organizations member accounts. The correct combination is A and C: review recommendations from the management account and check RDS Reserved Instance Optimization, not Idle DB Instances.

A common wrong answer is B and C, assuming checks must be viewed only in each member account; the management account's Trusted Advisor organizational view can aggregate member-account results, so A is the intended organization-level step.

Community Discussion (22 comments)

Sushmita42 👍 1 Selected: BC

Going for B and C: As per question: RDS DB instances run in member accounts not in management accounts, so Trusted adviser checking in management account won't see member account resources. Also, Trusted advisor is account specific. C - identifies On-Demand RDS instances that could be cost-optimised by purchasing Reserved Instances.

SnaxAttax 👍 1 Selected: AC

High utilization means we don't care about idle-- that isn't the problem we are solving.

ln2718 👍 2 Selected: BC

Chat AI - B. Use the Trusted Advisor recommendations in the member accounts where the RDS DB instances are running. — The finance team needs to run checks in the accounts where the RDS instances actually reside. C. Review the Trusted Advisor checks for Amazon RDS Reserved Instance Optimization. — Trusted Advisor will suggest buying RDS Reserved Instances for cost savings if DBs have high utilization.

7dcef09 👍 1 Selected: AC

A is correct You can set up the organizational view feature to create a report for all member accounts in your AWS organization. For more information, see Organizational view for AWS Trusted Advisor.

7dcef09 👍 1

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/organizational-view.html

FlyingHawk 👍 1

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/get-started-with-aws-trusted-advisor.html

FlyingHawk 👍 2 Selected: BC

A is incorrect, as Trust advisor recommendations are account specific. Trusted Advisor in the management account provides insights only for that account, not for member accounts. Unless you have a centralized tool that aggregates recommendations, this option alone does not meet the requirement. C helps identify opportunities to save money by purchasing Reserved Instances for RDS if usage patterns justify it. This is one of the key cost optimization strategies for highly utilized RDS instances.

FlyingHawk 👍 2

"You can use the Trusted Advisor Recommendations page of the Trusted Advisor console to review check results for your AWS account and then follow the recommended steps to fix any issues. " Trust advisor recommendations are account specific.

LeonSauveterre 👍 1 Selected: AC

B is OK but less efficient than A. D is extremely unlikely because "instances have high utilization". E - The finance team is focused on RDS for Oracle On-Demand DB instances, not compute (EC2) instances, so this check won’t be useful for optimizing RDS costs.

MatAlves 👍 4 Selected: AC

"On-Demand DB instances that have high utilization" High Utilization = no point in checking for Idle instances On-Demand = it makes sense to replace On-demand for Reserved instances.

example_ 👍 1 Selected: CD

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/cost-optimization-checks.html

victor78 👍 2

I THINK IT'S C,D

Scheldon 👍 5 Selected: AC

AnswerAC We have On-Demand instances of RDS. If DB is used very often then it can occur that using Reserved Instrance can bring some $$ savings. It is mentioned in AWS docs :) https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/cost-optimization-checks.html#amazon-ec2-reserved-instances-optimization

Tomrr 👍 3 Selected: AC

Instances are running On-Demand, they need to check to see if they can save money by switching the reserved instances from on-demand An important part of using AWS involves balancing your Reserved Instance (RI) purchase against your On-Demand Instance usage. This check provides recommendations on which RIs will help reduce the costs incurred from using On-Demand Instances.

bujuman 👍 1 Selected: AD

Cost Optimization: By providing actionable recommendations, Trusted Advisor assists you in identifying areas of overspending and underutilization, like idle RDS DB instances or underused EBS volumes, leading to significant cost savings.

f07ed8f 👍 1 Selected: AD

Please check with question 308. It should run in management account and review the Trusted Advisor check for Amazon RDS Idle DB Instances.

f07ed8f 👍 2

I correct myself the answer should be AC as the DB can be switch to on-demand rather than reserved and it would save save the cost.

rondelldell 👍 4 Selected: AC

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/cost-optimization-checks.html#amazon-rds-reserved-instance-optimization

Awsbeginner87 👍 1 Selected: AE

Option A,E

xBUGx 👍 1

i dont think AWS Compute Optimizer work with RDS

xBUGx 👍 1 Selected: AD

use Trusted advisor on management account

AlvinC2024 👍 3 Selected: AC

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/organizational-view.html

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Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

The scenario points to two levers: where to read Trusted Advisor results across AWS Organizations and which cost check fits high-utilization On-Demand RDS for Oracle. With Trusted Advisor organizational view, the management account can aggregate check results for member accounts, so reviewing recommendations in the management account (A) satisfies the organization-wide visibility requirement. Because the DB instances are On-Demand and highly utilized, the RDS Reserved Instance Optimization check (C) is the relevant Trusted Advisor cost-optimization check for identifying RI purchase opportunities. Together, A and C let finance see the right accounts' RDS cost signals without wasting effort on idle-resource checks.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option B is not the best organization-level step: although Trusted Advisor checks are account-specific, the management account's organizational view is designed to aggregate member-account results, so the finance team can use A. Option D is a trap because RDS Idle DB Instances targets DB instances with no activity; high utilization rules that out. Option E points to compute optimization and AWS Compute Optimizer, which is aimed at compute/EC2-style rightsizing rather than the RDS Reserved Instance opportunity described here, and the question asks specifically about RDS Oracle On-Demand cost optimization.

Community Comment Notes

Learners who picked AC focused on the On-Demand-to-Reserved Instance savings angle; Scheldon noted that for frequently used On-Demand RDS, Reserved Instances can bring "some $$ savings." MatAlves captured the idle-check trap with "High Utilization = no point in checking for Idle instances." Some comments argued for BC because Trusted Advisor recommendations are account-specific, as FlyingHawk put it, but that reasoning overlooks the management account's Trusted Advisor organizational view that aggregates member-account results. Overall, the AC reasoning aligns with the AWS cost-optimization checks documentation and the organizational-view feature.

Official Reference

Exam Strategy

When a question mentions AWS Organizations plus Trusted Advisor, check whether the management account's organizational view can aggregate member-account results before choosing per-account reviews. Then match the check to the resource state: high utilization with On-Demand RDS means Reserved Instance optimization, not idle DB detection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is option B wrong if the RDS DB instances are in member accounts?

Trusted Advisor organizational view in the management account aggregates member-account results, so the finance team can see the relevant checks without reviewing each account separately.

Why not check RDS Idle DB Instances for high-utilization databases?

The Idle DB Instances check targets databases with no connections, while these Oracle instances have high utilization; Reserved Instance Optimization is the relevant cost-saving check.

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