Which resource should a DBA monitor to address slow query response times?

Which resource should a DBA monitor to address slow query response times?

• A. Disk space availability
• B. Network latency
• C. Memory usage
• D. Power supply status

Answer: (C)

A database administrator (DBA) should monitor memory usage to address slow query response times because memory plays a crucial role in how efficiently a database can execute queries. When sufficient memory is available, the database management system can cache frequently accessed data, reducing the need to read from disk, which is significantly slower than accessing data from memory.

If memory usage is high and memory resources are limited, the database may need to resort to disk I/O operations more frequently, which can lead to increased query response times. Monitoring memory usage can help identify whether the system is adequately resourced to handle its workload, or if tuning, optimization, or additional resources are needed to enhance performance.

In contrast, while disk space availability is important for maintaining system operations, it does not directly correlate with slow query response times. Network latency may affect data transmission speeds but is usually more relevant to overall application performance rather than database query execution speeds. Similarly, power supply status is critical for uptime and stability but does not directly impact the efficiency or speed of query processing in the database itself.