- A
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: RDS for MySQL is a managed MySQL database, but Aurora offers significantly better performance and availability.
- B
Amazon Aurora
Aurora is MySQL-compatible with up to 5x better performance, automatic multi-AZ replication, and auto-scaling storage.
- C
Amazon DynamoDB
Why wrong: DynamoDB is a NoSQL database, not a MySQL-compatible relational database.
- D
Amazon Redshift
Why wrong: Redshift is a data warehouse for analytics, not an OLTP relational database.
Question 522 of 1,024
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company wants to use AWS to run a relational database that is compatible with MySQL but with improved performance and availability. Which service should they use?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon Aurora
Amazon Aurora is the correct choice because it is a MySQL-compatible relational database engine that provides significantly higher performance (up to 5x faster than standard MySQL) and improved availability through features like distributed storage, automatic failover, and six-way replication across three Availability Zones. Aurora is designed to deliver the durability and availability of commercial databases while maintaining MySQL compatibility, making it ideal for workloads requiring enhanced performance and uptime.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
RDS for MySQL is a managed MySQL database, but Aurora offers significantly better performance and availability.
- ✓
Amazon Aurora
Why this is correct
Aurora is MySQL-compatible with up to 5x better performance, automatic multi-AZ replication, and auto-scaling storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is a NoSQL database, not a MySQL-compatible relational database.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is a data warehouse for analytics, not an OLTP relational database.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume Amazon RDS for MySQL is sufficient for improved performance and availability, overlooking that Aurora is specifically engineered to outperform standard MySQL while maintaining full compatibility, and that DynamoDB and Redshift are not relational databases.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Aurora uses a distributed, SSD-backed virtualized storage layer that is separate from the compute layer, allowing it to automatically scale storage up to 128 TB and perform crash recovery in under 60 seconds. Aurora's storage subsystem replicates data across three Availability Zones with six copies, and the database engine is optimized to reduce I/O operations by only writing the redo log to storage, bypassing the double-write buffer used by standard MySQL. In a real-world scenario, a company migrating from on-premises MySQL to AWS would choose Aurora to achieve higher throughput and automatic failover without rewriting application code.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon Aurora — Amazon Aurora is the correct choice because it is a MySQL-compatible relational database engine that provides significantly higher performance (up to 5x faster than standard MySQL) and improved availability through features like distributed storage, automatic failover, and six-way replication across three Availability Zones. Aurora is designed to deliver the durability and availability of commercial databases while maintaining MySQL compatibility, making it ideal for workloads requiring enhanced performance and uptime.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.
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