DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
A data engineer is implementing a CDC (Change Data Capture) pipeline from a relational database to Amazon S3 using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS). Which TWO configurations are required for continuous replication?
⚠ Common exam trap
DEA-C01 often tests that 'continuous replication' requires both source-side logging and task-level CDC configuration — candidates may select transformation or networking options that sound relevant but don't enable change capture.
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
✓
Enable binary logging on the source database.
Option B is correct because AWS DMS continuous replication (CDC) requires the source relational database to expose its change stream — for MySQL/MariaDB that means binary logging (log_bin) enabled with binlog_format=ROW, and for other engines the equivalent (e.g., Oracle supplemental logging, SQL Server MS-CDC). Option D is correct because the DMS task's migration type must be set to 'Full load and ongoing replication' (or 'Ongoing replication' if data is already loaded) so DMS performs the initial load and then continuously applies CDC changes to Amazon S3. Option A is not required — transformation rules are optional and only used to rename, filter, or modify schema/data during migration. Option C is not required — a VPC endpoint is only needed for private connectivity to services like S3 when using a VPC-attached replication instance, not as a general CDC requirement. Option E is not required — DMS writes to S3 as CSV or Parquet files and does not need a pre-created target table.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Define transformation rules in the DMS task.
Why it's wrong here
Transformation rules alter column names, schemas or data during migration; they do not establish the mechanism that streams ongoing changes. Continuous replication depends on log-based capture at the source and target write configuration. Transformation rules would be correct when reshaping data mid-flight, not when enabling CDC itself.
- ✓
Enable binary logging on the source database.
Why this is correct
Binary logging records every row-level change on the source, which DMS reads to capture ongoing inserts, updates and deletes. Without it, the source retains no change history, so continuous replication cannot proceed beyond the initial load.
- ✗
Configure a VPC endpoint for DMS.
Why it's wrong here
A VPC endpoint governs private network routing between DMS and AWS services; it does not enable ongoing change capture. Continuous replication requires the source endpoint to read transaction logs and the target to accept ongoing writes. A VPC endpoint would be correct when private connectivity to S3 without internet egress is the requirement.
- ✓
Enable 'Full load' and 'Ongoing replication' in the task.
Why this is correct
Selecting both Full load and Ongoing replication makes the task migrate existing rows first, then continuously apply subsequent changes. Choosing Full load alone stops after the initial copy, so the CDC requirement in the stem is unmet.
- ✗
Pre-create the target table in S3.
Why it's wrong here
DMS writes to S3 as flat files and does not require a pre-created table schema; S3 has no table object to create. Continuous replication instead needs source log access and target write permissions. Pre-creating a table would be correct for a relational target such as Amazon RDS or Redshift.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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