DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
Which TWO AWS services can be used to automatically back up an Amazon RDS for SQL Server DB instance? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse AWS Backup with a service that only works for on-premises or EC2 backups, or mistakenly think DMS or Data Pipeline can handle automated backups, when in fact only RDS automated backups and AWS Backup provide native, automatic backup capabilities for RDS for SQL Server.
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
✓
Amazon RDS automated backups
Amazon RDS automated backups (C) are a native RDS feature that automatically takes daily snapshots of the DB instance during the backup window and continuously archives transaction logs, enabling point-in-time recovery for RDS for SQL Server. AWS Backup (E) is a fully managed, policy-driven backup service that supports RDS as a protected resource, allowing you to define backup plans with schedules and retention rules that trigger automated RDS snapshots. AWS DMS (A) is a replication and migration service, not a backup mechanism, so it does not create restorable backups. AWS Data Pipeline (B) is an orchestration service for data movement and transformation, not a backup tool for RDS. Amazon S3 (D) is object storage that can hold exported backups, but it does not itself automatically back up an RDS for SQL Server DB instance.
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 Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why it's wrong here
DMS migrates or replicates data between database engines; it does not create or schedule RDS backups. It is tempting because it touches RDS SQL Server data, but automated backups come from RDS automated backup retention and AWS Backup, which snapshot the DB instance.
- ✗
AWS Data Pipeline
Why it's wrong here
AWS Data Pipeline orchestrates data movement between sources and destinations on schedules; it does not perform RDS automated backups. It is tempting because it schedules recurring tasks, but the stem needs RDS's native automated backup or AWS Backup, which snapshot the DB instance directly.
- ✓
Amazon RDS automated backups
Why this is correct
RDS automated backups capture daily snapshots plus transaction logs for SQL Server, enabling point-in-time recovery within the retention window. This is native, automatic and requires no additional service, directly satisfying the requirement to back up the instance without manual intervention.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 stores objects and cannot initiate or schedule backups of an RDS for SQL Server DB instance; it only receives exported data. It is tempting because RDS snapshots can be exported to S3, but that export is a manual, separate action, whereas automated backups are provided by RDS automated backups and AWS Backup.
- ✓
AWS Backup
Why this is correct
AWS Backup provides policy-driven, scheduled backup plans that can target RDS for SQL Server resources, including cross-region and cross-account copies. It centralises retention and lifecycle management, satisfying the automatic backup requirement independently of RDS's own snapshot scheduling.
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
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