The correct answer is to use AWS DMS to replicate data directly to Amazon S3 in near-real-time. This approach meets the five-minute SLA because AWS DMS can stream change data capture (CDC) events from an RDS for PostgreSQL source continuously to an S3 target using its built-in task configuration, writing new data as Parquet or CSV files in small batches with minimal latency. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of DMS’s native CDC-to-S3 capability versus unnecessary intermediary steps; a common trap is assuming you need Lambda or Glue for ingestion when DMS handles it directly. Remember the memory tip: DMS to S3 is a direct stream, not a multi-hop team—keep the pipeline simple to meet tight SLAs.
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 data engineer is designing a pipeline to ingest change data capture (CDC) events from an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL database into Amazon S3. The CDC events are captured using AWS DMS. The data must be available for querying within 5 minutes of the change. Which approach meets these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS DMS to replicate data directly to S3 in near real-time.
Option A is correct because DMS can stream CDC data to S3 in near real-time, meeting the 5-minute SLA. Option B is wrong because a Lambda function triggered by S3 events is not needed for the initial ingestion. Option C is wrong because exporting to S3 and then using Glue adds latency. Option D is wrong because Redshift is a separate service and adds complexity.
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.
✗
Export the database to S3 using pg_dump and then use AWS Glue to load into S3 in Parquet format.
Why it's wrong here
pg_dump is a batch export, not CDC.
✗
Use AWS DMS to replicate data to Amazon Redshift, then unload to S3.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is not needed; direct to S3 is simpler.
✓
Use AWS DMS to replicate data directly to S3 in near real-time.
Why this is correct
DMS can write CDC to S3 with low latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS DMS to replicate data to an SQS queue, then process with Lambda to write to S3.
Why it's wrong here
This adds unnecessary complexity and latency.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 AWS DMS to replicate data directly to S3 in near real-time. — Option A is correct because DMS can stream CDC data to S3 in near real-time, meeting the 5-minute SLA. Option B is wrong because a Lambda function triggered by S3 events is not needed for the initial ingestion. Option C is wrong because exporting to S3 and then using Glue adds latency. Option D is wrong because Redshift is a separate service and adds complexity.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer needs to capture change data capture (CDC) events from an Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL database and stream them to Amazon S3 in near real-time. Which AWS service should be used?
easy
A.Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration
B.Amazon Athena
✓ C.AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS)
D.Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Why C: Option C is correct because AWS DMS can continuously replicate changes from a source database to S3. Option A is wrong because Kinesis Data Streams is for custom streaming applications. Option B is wrong because S3 Transfer Acceleration speeds up uploads but does not capture CDC. Option D is wrong because Athena is a query service.
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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
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