CLF-C02 Cloud Concepts Practice Question
A company migrates their self-managed MySQL database running on a virtual machine to Amazon RDS for MySQL, taking advantage of managed backups and Multi-AZ without changing the database schema or application code. Which migration strategy does this represent?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse Rehost with Replatform because both involve minimal code changes, but Rehost keeps the workload on the same type of infrastructure (e.g., EC2), while Replatform moves to a managed service like RDS that offloads administrative tasks.
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
✓
Replatform
This is a Replatform (also called 'lift and reshape' or 'platform modernization') migration because the company moves the MySQL database from a self-managed VM to Amazon RDS without changing the database schema or application code. They gain managed backups and Multi-AZ, which are RDS-specific features, but the core database engine and application interface remain unchanged, so no refactoring of the application is required.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Rehost
Why it's wrong here
Rehosting (lift and shift) would migrate the original self-managed MySQL VM to an Amazon EC2 instance with the same operating system and database configuration, leaving operations unchanged. Moving to Amazon RDS instead replaces the VM with a managed database service — a different deployment model that offloads administration. That change in platform, not just location, makes this replatforming, not rehosting.
- ✓
Replatform
Why this is correct
Replatforming (also called lift-and-shift-and-optimize) moves a workload to a managed cloud service without rewriting application code. In this scenario, the self-managed MySQL VM is migrated to Amazon RDS, which provides automated backups, Multi-AZ failover, managed patching, and easy scaling — operational benefits the company gains immediately. Because the application still uses MySQL and no architectural changes are made, this is the textbook replatform example, not a rearchitect.
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Refactor
Why it's wrong here
Refactoring (also called rearchitecting) requires changing the application itself to use cloud-native patterns such as microservices, serverless functions, or containers. The scenario describes no application code changes — the same MySQL database is simply moved from a self-managed VM to Amazon RDS. Since the application still runs as before and only the database platform is upgraded, this is not a refactor.
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Repurchase
Why it's wrong here
Repurchasing (the 'drop-and-shop' strategy) replaces an existing application or platform with a completely different product, usually a SaaS subscription — for example, swapping a self-hosted CRM for Salesforce. In this case, the company keeps the same MySQL database and the same application; it only moves from a self-managed VM to Amazon RDS. No new software is adopted, so this is not repurchasing.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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