CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
A company runs a MySQL database and wants to migrate to a cloud-native relational database that is fully managed, provides up to 5x the performance of standard MySQL, offers automated backups with point-in-time recovery, and is compatible with MySQL drivers and tools without application changes. Which AWS service meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse Amazon RDS for MySQL with Aurora, overlooking the specific performance multiplier (up to 5x) and the cloud-native architecture that distinguishes Aurora from standard MySQL on RDS.
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 a fully managed, MySQL-compatible relational database that delivers up to 5x the performance of standard MySQL, provides automated backups with point-in-time recovery, and is designed to work with existing MySQL drivers and tools without requiring application changes. This makes it the ideal choice for migrating a MySQL database to a cloud-native, high-performance relational database service.
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
Amazon RDS for MySQL is a fully managed MySQL service that does provide the MySQL API compatibility, but it runs the standard MySQL engine with traditional local storage and a single-writer, multiple-reader replication model. Aurora, by contrast, uses a distributed storage subsystem with six copies across three Availability Zones and a quorum-based write protocol, which allows up to five times the throughput of standard MySQL on the same hardware. If a workload needs Aurora's performance and high availability characteristics, simply choosing RDS for MySQL will not deliver those capabilities.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Amazon DynamoDB is a serverless NoSQL key-value and document database that stores data as items with partitions and sort keys, not as relational tables with schemas, joins, and foreign keys. It does not support the MySQL wire protocol or SQL, so a relational MySQL application cannot be pointed at DynamoDB without substantial re-architecting to use its API and data modeling patterns. While DynamoDB excels at low-latency scale and operational simplicity, it is fundamentally unsuitable as a drop-in replacement for a MySQL-compatible relational database.
- ✓
Amazon Aurora
Why this is correct
Aurora is AWS's cloud-native relational database that is fully compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL. It provides up to 5x the performance of standard MySQL, automated backups, and continuous replication to six copies across three AZs.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift
Why it's wrong here
Amazon Redshift is a petabyte-scale data warehouse optimized for analytical (OLAP) workloads, using columnar storage and massively parallel processing. Although it shares a lineage with PostgreSQL, it does not expose the MySQL wire protocol or SQL dialect, so an existing MySQL application cannot connect to it without extensive rewriting. Its architecture is purposely designed for complex aggregations over large datasets, not for high-concurrency OLTP transaction processing like Aurora.
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