The answer is to enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days directly in the RDS instance configuration. This works because Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL handles both daily automated snapshots and transaction log backups automatically, allowing point-in-time recovery within the specified retention window without any additional infrastructure. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of native RDS backup capabilities versus more complex solutions like AWS Backup or custom Lambda scripts—a common trap is overcomplicating the answer by assuming external services are required when the simplest built-in configuration suffices. Remember that the maximum automated backup retention for RDS is 35 days, so if the requirement exactly matches that limit, the direct configuration is the intended solution. A helpful memory tip: think of “35” as the RDS backup ceiling—if the requirement hits that number, you’re staying within native settings.
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The data engineer needs to ensure that the database is automatically backed up and that backups are retained for 35 days. What is the simplest way to achieve this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days in the RDS instance configuration.
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL allows you to enable automated backups directly in the instance configuration. By setting the backup retention period to 35 days, RDS automatically performs daily snapshots and retains transaction logs for point-in-time recovery within that window. This is the simplest method because it requires no external services or custom scripting.
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.
✗
Use AWS Backup to schedule daily backups with a 35-day retention.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup is an additional service that adds complexity; RDS automated backups already meet the requirement.
✓
Enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days in the RDS instance configuration.
Why this is correct
RDS automated backups run daily and retain backups for the specified period, up to 35 days.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a manual snapshot every day and delete them after 35 days using a script.
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots require scripting and do not provide automatic daily backups without additional effort.
✗
Enable automatic export of transaction logs to Amazon S3 and use S3 lifecycle policies.
Why it's wrong here
Exporting logs to S3 is for point-in-time recovery, not a simple backup solution.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overcomplicate the solution by choosing AWS Backup (Option A) or manual scripting (Option C), not realizing that RDS native automated backups already provide the simplest, fully managed way to achieve the required retention period.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS automated backups consist of daily automated snapshots and transaction log backups (WAL files for PostgreSQL) every 5 minutes, enabling point-in-time recovery to any second within the retention window. The retention period can be set from 1 to 35 days; setting it to 35 days ensures backups are kept for the maximum allowed duration without manual intervention. Under the hood, RDS stores these backups in Amazon S3 but manages them transparently, so no direct S3 configuration is needed.
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.
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.
Data Store Management — This question tests Data Store Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days in the RDS instance configuration. — Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL allows you to enable automated backups directly in the instance configuration. By setting the backup retention period to 35 days, RDS automatically performs daily snapshots and retains transaction logs for point-in-time recovery within that window. This is the simplest method because it requires no external services or custom scripting.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 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.
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This DEA-C01 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 DEA-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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