The correct answer is to configure automated snapshot copy to us-west-2, enable automated snapshots for point-in-time recovery, and use a multi-AZ deployment. This trio works because cross-region snapshot copy is the core mechanism for Redshift cross-region disaster recovery, automatically replicating snapshots from the primary region to the recovery region, while automated snapshots ensure you can restore to any point within the retention window, minimizing data loss. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between high-availability features within a region and true cross-region DR—a common trap is confusing multi-AZ (which protects against AZ failures) with cross-region recovery. Remember the memory tip: “Copy across, automate the point, and AZ for local bounce”—the first two handle regional failure, the third handles local failure, but only the snapshot copy gets you to another region.
DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data operations and support. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 data engineer is designing a disaster recovery plan for an Amazon Redshift data warehouse. The cluster is in us-east-1 and must be recoverable in us-west-2 with minimal data loss. Which THREE actions should the engineer take? (Choose THREE)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create manual snapshots and copy them to us-west-2
Options A, C, and E are correct. Cross-region snapshot copy allows recovery in another region. Automated snapshots enable point-in-time recovery. Using a multi-AZ deployment provides high availability within a region but not cross-region. Concurrent scaling does not help disaster recovery. Manual backups are not automated.
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.
✓
Create manual snapshots and copy them to us-west-2
Why this is correct
Manual snapshots can be copied across regions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy Redshift in a multi-AZ configuration
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ is within a region, not cross-region.
✗
Enable Redshift concurrent scaling
Why it's wrong here
For performance, not disaster recovery.
✓
Schedule automated snapshots with a retention period
Why this is correct
Allows point-in-time recovery.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Configure automated snapshot copy to us-west-2
Why this is correct
Enables cross-region recovery.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Operations and Support — This question tests Data Operations and Support — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create manual snapshots and copy them to us-west-2 — Options A, C, and E are correct. Cross-region snapshot copy allows recovery in another region. Automated snapshots enable point-in-time recovery. Using a multi-AZ deployment provides high availability within a region but not cross-region. Concurrent scaling does not help disaster recovery. Manual backups are not automated.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer is designing a disaster recovery strategy for an Amazon Redshift data warehouse. The RPO (Recovery Point Objective) is 1 hour, and the RTO (Recovery Time Objective) is 2 hours. Which approach meets these requirements with the least operational overhead?
easy
A.Set up a secondary Redshift cluster in another region and use AWS DMS for continuous replication.
✓ B.Configure automated cross-region snapshot copy to another region.
C.Export the data to S3 daily using UNLOAD and copy to another region.
D.Enable automated snapshots with a retention period of 1 day.
Why B: Option B is correct because automated snapshots to S3 with cross-region copy provide up-to-the-hour recovery and fast restore. Option A is incorrect because automated snapshots are default but not cross-region. Option C and D have higher overhead and may not meet RTO.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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