- A
AWS Snowball
Snowball allows physical transfer of data, which can be faster than network transfer for very large datasets.
- B
Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration
Why wrong: S3 Transfer Acceleration speeds up S3 uploads over the internet, but does not bypass network bandwidth limits for large datasets.
- C
AWS Direct Connect
Why wrong: Direct Connect provides a dedicated network connection, but the data still transfers over the network, which may still be slow for 2 TB.
- D
Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose
Why wrong: Kinesis Data Firehose is for streaming data, not for bulk database migration.
Question 937 of 1,786
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. 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 a 2 TB PostgreSQL database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The migration is taking longer than expected due to the initial load. Which AWS service can be used to accelerate the initial load by transferring the database files directly?
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
✓
AWS Snowball
AWS Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses physical storage devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of AWS. For a 2 TB PostgreSQL database, the initial load via DMS over the network can be slow due to bandwidth constraints, especially for large datasets. By using Snowball, you can export the database files (e.g., using pg_dump or physical file copy) to the device, ship it to AWS, and have the data loaded directly into Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, bypassing the network bottleneck and significantly accelerating the initial load.
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.
- ✓
AWS Snowball
Why this is correct
Snowball allows physical transfer of data, which can be faster than network transfer for very large datasets.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration
Why it's wrong here
S3 Transfer Acceleration speeds up S3 uploads over the internet, but does not bypass network bandwidth limits for large datasets.
- ✗
AWS Direct Connect
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect provides a dedicated network connection, but the data still transfers over the network, which may still be slow for 2 TB.
- ✗
Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose
Why it's wrong here
Kinesis Data Firehose is for streaming data, not for bulk database migration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume network-based acceleration services (like S3 Transfer Acceleration or Direct Connect) are sufficient for large migrations, overlooking the fact that physical data transport (Snowball) is the only option that completely avoids network transfer for the initial load.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Snowball uses a ruggedized device with built-in storage and encryption (using AWS KMS-managed keys) and supports both import and export into S3. For database migrations, you can use the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to extract data and write it to the Snowball, then AWS SCT can load it into Aurora PostgreSQL from S3 after the device is returned. This approach is particularly effective for multi-terabyte databases where network transfer would take days or weeks, as Snowball can transfer data at speeds up to 1 Gbps over USB 3.0 or 10 Gbps over RJ45, and shipping typically takes a few days.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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
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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
Data Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Snowball — AWS Snowball is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses physical storage devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of AWS. For a 2 TB PostgreSQL database, the initial load via DMS over the network can be slow due to bandwidth constraints, especially for large datasets. By using Snowball, you can export the database files (e.g., using pg_dump or physical file copy) to the device, ship it to AWS, and have the data loaded directly into Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, bypassing the network bottleneck and significantly accelerating the initial load.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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