DEA-C01 Data Operations and Support Practice Question
A data pipeline uses AWS DMS to replicate data from an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon S3 in Parquet format. The pipeline has been running successfully for months, but recently the DMS task status shows 'failed' with the error: 'The source database is running out of archive log space.' Which action should the engineer take to prevent this error?
⚠ Common exam trap
DEA-C01 often tests whether candidates correctly attribute source-side errors to the source database rather than the DMS replication instance — the trap is assuming DMS configuration changes (memory, buckets) will fix an Oracle archive log issue.
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
✓
Increase the amount of archive log space or reduce the log retention period on the source Oracle database.
The error 'source database is running out of archive log space' originates on the Oracle source, not on DMS. Oracle must retain archive logs until DMS (via LogMiner or Binary Reader) has consumed them; if DMS lags or the retention is too long, archive log space fills up. The fix is to increase archive log space or reduce the retention period so Oracle can purge logs after DMS reads them.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure multiple target S3 buckets to distribute the load.
Why it's wrong here
Adding target S3 buckets changes nothing on the source Oracle host, where archive log space is exhausted. The fix requires addressing redo log retention on the source, such as enabling log retention or increasing archive log capacity. Multiple targets would be relevant for throughput or partitioning, not source log pressure.
- ✓
Increase the amount of archive log space or reduce the log retention period on the source Oracle database.
Why this is correct
Increasing archive log space or shortening retention directly addresses the Oracle constraint: redo logs cannot be archived once the destination fills, so the DMS task fails. DMS reads redo/archive logs via LogMiner to capture ongoing changes, so the source must retain sufficient archive log capacity for replication to continue.
- ✗
Enable automatic log archiving on the DMS replication instance.
Why it's wrong here
Log archiving happens on the source Oracle database, not on the DMS replication instance, which has no control over Oracle redo logs. The error originates from the source host's archive log destination filling up. Enabling archiving on the replication instance is not a DMS feature and cannot relieve source-side space.
- ✗
Increase the memory allocation for the DMS replication instance.
Why it's wrong here
Replication instance memory affects DMS task performance and buffering, not the source Oracle archive log destination. The error is raised by the source database when its archive log volume fills. Increasing instance memory would be relevant for memory-intensive tasks such as large transactions or LOB handling.
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
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This DEA-C01 question is part of Courseiva's 1,321-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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
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.