The correct choice is an AWS Glue ETL job with a JDBC connection to the on-premises PostgreSQL database, extracting data and writing it to S3 as Parquet files. This solution directly addresses the need for a simple, managed full refresh because Glue’s serverless architecture handles the JDBC connection via a Glue Connection over Direct Connect, performs a full extract (truncate and load) each run, and automatically converts the data to columnar Parquet format for efficient analytics. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match workload patterns to the right service: Glue excels at batch ETL with full refreshes, while DMS is a trap for ongoing CDC replication, and EMR or Data Pipeline introduce unnecessary complexity for a straightforward 10 GB daily load. Remember the memory tip: “Glue for the full scoop, DMS for the drip”—if the requirement says “full refresh daily,” think Glue, not replication.
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 marketing analytics team needs to ingest customer transaction data from an on-premises PostgreSQL database into Amazon S3 for analysis. The data volume is about 10 GB daily, and the team wants to perform full refresh daily (truncate and load) into S3 as Parquet files. The company has a Direct Connect connection to AWS. The team needs a simple, managed solution that minimizes operational overhead. What should the team use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an AWS Glue ETL job with a JDBC connection to the PostgreSQL database, extract data, and write to S3 in Parquet format.
Option A is correct: AWS Glue can connect to on-premises PostgreSQL via JDBC using a connection, and perform full extract and write to S3 as Parquet. Option B (DMS) is more suited for ongoing replication, not full refresh. Option C (Data Pipeline) requires more configuration. Option D (EMR) is overkill.
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.
✗
Set up AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to continuously replicate data to S3 in Parquet format.
Why it's wrong here
DMS is for ongoing replication, not optimized for periodic full refresh; it may introduce unnecessary overhead.
✗
Use Amazon EMR with a Spark job that reads from PostgreSQL and writes to S3.
Why it's wrong here
EMR requires cluster management and is more complex than Glue for this use case.
✓
Use an AWS Glue ETL job with a JDBC connection to the PostgreSQL database, extract data, and write to S3 in Parquet format.
Why this is correct
Glue is serverless and can handle daily full refresh with minimal setup.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Data Pipeline with a SQLActivity to extract data and copy to S3.
Why it's wrong here
Data Pipeline is older and less managed than Glue; requires more manual setup.
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 an AWS Glue ETL job with a JDBC connection to the PostgreSQL database, extract data, and write to S3 in Parquet format. — Option A is correct: AWS Glue can connect to on-premises PostgreSQL via JDBC using a connection, and perform full extract and write to S3 as Parquet. Option B (DMS) is more suited for ongoing replication, not full refresh. Option C (Data Pipeline) requires more configuration. Option D (EMR) is overkill.
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.
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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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