Question 1,392 of 1,711
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
A data engineer is migrating an on-premises Microsoft SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. The database is 2 TB in size and has a 4-hour maintenance window. The company needs to minimize downtime and ensure data consistency. Which TWO methods should the engineer use? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume native backup/restore alone is sufficient for minimal downtime, forgetting that it only handles the initial data load and does not capture changes made during the backup window without additional replication.
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
✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication to minimize downtime.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication (change data capture) is correct because it allows continuous synchronization from the on-premises SQL Server to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, minimizing downtime by keeping the target database up-to-date until the final cutover. This approach ensures data consistency by capturing and applying ongoing changes without requiring a long outage window.
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 Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication to minimize downtime.
Why this is correct
DMS can perform a full load and then replicate changes, reducing downtime.
- ✗
Use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) export wizard to transfer data.
Why it's wrong here
The export wizard is not suitable for 2 TB and does not support ongoing replication.
- ✓
Take a native backup of the on-premises database and restore it to RDS.
Why this is correct
Native backup/restore provides a consistent snapshot with minimal downtime.
- ✗
Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the schema and migrate data.
Why it's wrong here
AWS SCT only converts schema; it does not migrate data.
- ✗
Export the database to CSV files and use BULK INSERT to load into RDS.
Why it's wrong here
This approach is time-consuming and requires application downtime.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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