Quick Answer
The answer is to increase the number of parallel tasks in the DMS task settings. This directly reduces DMS replication lag by allowing the service to apply changes to the target Aurora PostgreSQL database using multiple threads simultaneously, which improves overall throughput and keeps the target more closely synchronized with the source. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of DMS task tuning under continuous replication scenarios, where lag is a common performance bottleneck. A frequent trap is confusing validation settings or batch-optimized apply with parallelism—validation adds overhead and batch apply is designed for specific targets like Redshift, not Aurora. Remember the memory tip: more threads, less lag—parallelism is your primary lever for reducing replication lag in DMS.
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. 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 uses AWS DMS to migrate an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The migration is ongoing with continuous replication. The data engineer notices that the target Aurora database has a higher lag than expected. Which action would most likely reduce the lag?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Increase the size of the S3 bucket used for staging
Why wrong: Staging bucket size does not affect replication speed.
Increase the number of parallel tasks in the DMS task settings
More parallel tasks improve apply throughput.
Enable Batch Optimized Apply on the DMS task
Why wrong: Batch Optimized Apply is for Oracle to Oracle, not Aurora.
Disable validation of data on the target
Why wrong: Validation is not the main cause of lag.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Increase the number of parallel tasks in the DMS task settings
Option D is correct because increasing the number of parallel tasks improves throughput. Option A is wrong because turning off validation reduces reliability but may help slightly. Option B is wrong because it does not affect replication lag. Option C is wrong because batch-optimized apply is not for Aurora.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Increase the size of the S3 bucket used for staging
Why it's wrong here
Staging bucket size does not affect replication speed.
Increase the number of parallel tasks in the DMS task settings
Why this is correct
More parallel tasks improve apply throughput.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Enable Batch Optimized Apply on the DMS task
Why it's wrong here
Batch Optimized Apply is for Oracle to Oracle, not Aurora.
Disable validation of data on the target
Why it's wrong here
Validation is not the main cause of lag.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
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
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Data Operations and Support — This question tests Data Operations and Support — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: Increase the number of parallel tasks in the DMS task settings — Option D is correct because increasing the number of parallel tasks improves throughput. Option A is wrong because turning off validation reduces reliability but may help slightly. Option B is wrong because it does not affect replication lag. Option C is wrong because batch-optimized apply is not for Aurora.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DEA-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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