AWS Trusted Advisor RDS Cost Optimization in Organizations

SAA-C03 By islever Editorial Last updated

Design cost-optimized database solutions.

Short answer

AC Review the Trusted Advisor recommendations in the management account and review the Trusted Advisor checks for Amazon RDS Reserved Instance Optimization.

Question

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

Key Takeaways

The question tests the ability to identify the correct Trusted Advisor check (Reserved Instance Optimization) and the proper scope (Management Account) for cost optimization in AWS Organizations, avoiding the trap of selecting checks for idle resources.

Optimize Amazon RDS for Oracle costs by leveraging Trusted Advisor's Reserved Instance recommendations within the organization's management account. This approach provides centralized visibility and actionable savings opportunities for high-utilization On-Demand instances.

Common mistake: Many candidates incorrectly select 'Idle DB Instances' because it is a common cost-saving check, but this contradicts the scenario stating instances have 'high utilization'. Others mistakenly believe member accounts must be checked individually, missing the benefit of the Management Account's consolidated view.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

The correct combination is A and C. First, regarding scope (Option A), when using AWS Trusted Advisor with AWS Organizations, the Management Account can view aggregated recommendations for all member accounts. This allows the finance team to see cost optimization opportunities across the entire organization from a single location, making it more efficient than checking each member account individually. Second, regarding the specific check (Option C), the question specifies that the RDS instances are 'On-Demand' and have 'high utilization.' The 'Amazon RDS Reserved Instance Optimization' check specifically analyzes On-Demand usage patterns to recommend purchasing Reserved Instances for significant cost savings. Since the instances are highly utilized, they are ideal candidates for RIs.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option B is less optimal than A because while you can check member accounts, the Management Account provides a consolidated view, which is the standard best practice for organizational cost management. Option D is incorrect because the 'Idle DB Instances' check targets underutilized resources; the prompt explicitly states the instances have 'high utilization,' so they are not idle. Option E is incorrect because 'Compute Optimization' primarily focuses on EC2 instances and related services, not RDS database instances.

Community Comment Notes

Community consensus strongly supports AC. User Scheldon noted that high utilization makes Reserved Instances a viable money-saving strategy, referencing official docs. User MatAlves emphasized that 'High Utilization = no point in checking for Idle instances,' correctly ruling out D. User FlyingHawk raised a concern about Management Account access, but official AWS documentation confirms that the Management Account can indeed view Trusted Advisor recommendations for all linked accounts if configured properly.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Always match the resource state (e.g., 'high utilization') with the appropriate optimization check (e.g., 'Reserved Instances' vs. 'Idle'). For multi-account scenarios, remember that the Management Account often provides the most efficient centralized view for oversight tasks like cost optimization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Management Account view Trusted Advisor for member accounts?

Yes, the Management Account can view aggregated Trusted Advisor recommendations for all linked member accounts, providing a centralized view for cost optimization.

Why not use the Idle DB Instances check for high utilization?

The Idle DB Instances check identifies underutilized resources. Since the prompt specifies 'high utilization,' these instances are actively used and thus unsuitable for the 'idle' check, making RI optimization the correct path.

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Community Votes

AC
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer AC. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 13 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 13

  1. Scheldon 👍 5
    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
  2. MatAlves 👍 4
    "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.
  3. rondelldell 👍 4
    https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/cost-optimization-checks.html#amazon-rds-reserved-instance-optimization
  4. Tomrr 👍 3
    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.
  5. AlvinC2024 👍 3
    https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/organizational-view.html
Show 8 more comments
  1. FlyingHawk 👍 1
    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.
  2. LeonSauveterre 👍 1
    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.
  3. bujuman 👍 1
    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.
  4. f07ed8f 👍 1
    Please check with question 308. It should run in management account and review the Trusted Advisor check for Amazon RDS Idle DB Instances.
  5. example_ 👍 1
    https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/cost-optimization-checks.html
  6. xBUGx 👍 1
    use Trusted advisor on management account
  7. victor78 👍 2
    I THINK IT'S C,D
  8. Awsbeginner87 👍 1
    Option A,E

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