During seasonal sales, what should a database administrator focus on to handle increased transaction volumes?

• A. Patching updates
• B. Load balancing
• C. Performance tuning
• D. Change approval

Answer: (C)

Focusing on performance tuning during seasonal sales is critical for managing increased transaction volumes. Performance tuning involves optimizing the database's configuration and queries to enhance efficiency and responsiveness. This is particularly important when transaction loads spike, as it can help prevent slowdowns or outages that may occur under higher demand.

Key aspects of performance tuning may include indexing, query optimization, and adjusting server resources to ensure that the database can handle the volume of requests efficiently. By prioritizing these adjustments ahead of peak sales periods, a database administrator can ensure the system remains stable and performant, facilitating a smooth transaction process for customers and ultimately leading to a better user experience.

The other options, while important in their own right, do not directly address the immediate need to support high transaction volumes during peak times. Patching updates, for example, is important for security and functionality but may not directly improve performance during intense sales periods. Load balancing could help distribute traffic but is often a part of performance considerations rather than a standalone focus. Change approval, while necessary for any updates, does not specifically cater to the urgency of handling increased load efficiently.