This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of database security. 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 has an Amazon Redshift cluster that contains sensitive data. The security team requires that data be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed AWS KMS key. The cluster was initially launched without encryption. How can the company enable encryption with minimal downtime?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Unload the data to Amazon S3, create a new encrypted cluster, and reload the data from S3.
Option B is correct. To enable encryption on an existing unencrypted Redshift cluster, you must unload the data to Amazon S3, create a new encrypted cluster, and reload the data. Option A is incorrect because Redshift does not support enabling encryption on an existing cluster directly. Option C is incorrect because snapshots preserve encryption status; restoring an unencrypted snapshot to an encrypted cluster is not possible. Option D is incorrect because modifying the cluster does not support enabling encryption.
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.
✓
Unload the data to Amazon S3, create a new encrypted cluster, and reload the data from S3.
Why this is correct
This is the standard procedure to enable encryption on an existing Redshift cluster.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use the AWS CLI to update the cluster encryption setting.
Why it's wrong here
No API exists to enable encryption on an existing cluster.
✗
Take a snapshot of the cluster and restore it to a new cluster with encryption enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Restoring an unencrypted snapshot to an encrypted cluster is not supported.
✗
Modify the cluster and enable encryption using the AWS Management Console.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift does not allow enabling encryption on an existing cluster.
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 DBS-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.
Database Security — This question tests Database Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Unload the data to Amazon S3, create a new encrypted cluster, and reload the data from S3. — Option B is correct. To enable encryption on an existing unencrypted Redshift cluster, you must unload the data to Amazon S3, create a new encrypted cluster, and reload the data. Option A is incorrect because Redshift does not support enabling encryption on an existing cluster directly. Option C is incorrect because snapshots preserve encryption status; restoring an unencrypted snapshot to an encrypted cluster is not possible. Option D is incorrect because modifying the cluster does not support enabling encryption.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-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 DBS-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 DBS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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