- A
Use a CDC-only migration task to capture changes from the source.
Why wrong: CDC-only tasks apply ongoing changes but require an existing target with data; they do not load initial data.
- B
Use a full load migration task and stop the source database before starting.
Why wrong: Stopping the source would cause downtime; a full load alone cannot capture changes during migration.
- C
Use a full load migration task with task restart enabled.
Why wrong: Task restart only resumes a failed task; it does not capture ongoing changes.
- D
Use a full load migration task followed by ongoing replication (CDC).
Full load migrates existing data, then CDC replicates new changes, minimizing downtime.
Question 643 of 1,786
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 is using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to migrate a 2 TB Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The migration must have minimal downtime. The source database is highly active with continuous writes. Which DMS migration type and additional configuration should the engineer use?
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 a full load migration task followed by ongoing replication (CDC).
Option D is correct because a full load migration followed by ongoing replication (CDC) allows the initial data copy to complete while continuously capturing and applying incremental changes from the highly active source. This minimizes downtime by keeping the target database nearly synchronized, requiring only a brief cutover window to stop writes and finalize replication.
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.
- ✗
Use a CDC-only migration task to capture changes from the source.
Why it's wrong here
CDC-only tasks apply ongoing changes but require an existing target with data; they do not load initial data.
- ✗
Use a full load migration task and stop the source database before starting.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping the source would cause downtime; a full load alone cannot capture changes during migration.
- ✗
Use a full load migration task with task restart enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Task restart only resumes a failed task; it does not capture ongoing changes.
- ✓
Use a full load migration task followed by ongoing replication (CDC).
Why this is correct
Full load migrates existing data, then CDC replicates new changes, minimizing downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a CDC-only task can handle both initial load and ongoing changes, but DMS requires a full load phase to populate the target before CDC can start, and they overlook that a full load alone cannot capture writes occurring during the migration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses a full load phase to bulk-copy existing data via native database APIs (e.g., Oracle LogMiner or binary log reader for CDC), then transitions to ongoing replication by reading the source's transaction logs (redo logs for Oracle) to apply changes in near real-time. A subtle behavior is that DMS creates a replication slot on the source to maintain log position, which can cause log retention issues if the migration stalls, requiring careful monitoring of log space.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Data Ingestion and Transformation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Data Ingestion and Transformation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All DEA-C01 questions
1,786 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
DEA-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related DEA-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Data Ingestion and Transformation practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Ingestion and Transformation.
Data Operations and Support practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Operations and Support.
Data Security and Governance practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Security and Governance.
Data Store Management practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to Data Store Management.
DEA-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 fundamentals.
DEA-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 scenario.
DEA-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise DEA-C01 questions linked to DEA-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free DEA-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Use a full load migration task followed by ongoing replication (CDC). — Option D is correct because a full load migration followed by ongoing replication (CDC) allows the initial data copy to complete while continuously capturing and applying incremental changes from the highly active source. This minimizes downtime by keeping the target database nearly synchronized, requiring only a brief cutover window to stop writes and finalize replication.
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.
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 →
Keep practising
More DEA-C01 practice questions
- A data pipeline uses Kinesis Data Firehose to deliver streaming data to an S3 bucket. The data volume spikes occasionall…
- An e-commerce company uses AWS Glue to run ETL jobs that transform clickstream data from Amazon S3. The job reads Parque…
- A data engineering team uses Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics for Apache Flink to process streaming data. They notice that…
- A company uses AWS Glue to process streaming data from Amazon Kinesis Data Streams. The job reads JSON records and write…
- A data engineer applies the above bucket policy to an S3 bucket containing sensitive data. The goal is to allow only enc…
- A company uses AWS Glue to catalog data in Amazon S3. The security team requires that all sensitive data be identified a…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.