The correct action is to specify an AWS KMS key when creating the RDS instance, as encryption at rest for Amazon RDS PostgreSQL must be enabled at launch time. This is because RDS encryption integrates with AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt the underlying storage, automated backups, read replicas, and snapshots using envelope encryption. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding that encryption cannot be toggled on after creation—a common trap is assuming you can modify an existing unencrypted instance, but the only workaround is a snapshot restore to a new encrypted instance. Remember the memory tip: “Encrypt at birth, or restore to earth”—meaning you must enable it during initial provisioning or restore from a snapshot to a new encrypted DB instance.
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 deploying Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and needs to ensure that all data at rest is encrypted. Which action should be taken to enable encryption?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Specify an AWS KMS key when creating the RDS instance.
Option B is correct because RDS encryption at rest is enabled at instance creation time using AWS KMS. Option A is wrong because encryption is not enabled by default. Option C is wrong because encryption cannot be enabled on an existing unencrypted instance without a snapshot restore. Option D is wrong because you must specify a KMS key.
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.
✓
Specify an AWS KMS key when creating the RDS instance.
Why this is correct
RDS encryption uses KMS keys and must be set at creation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Modify the existing RDS instance to enable encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Cannot enable encryption on an existing instance; must restore from snapshot.
✗
Enable encryption by default in the RDS console.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest is not enabled by default; must be explicitly specified.
✗
Enable encryption using S3 server-side encryption.
Why it's wrong here
S3 SSE is not applicable to RDS; use RDS encryption with KMS.
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.
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Specify an AWS KMS key when creating the RDS instance. — Option B is correct because RDS encryption at rest is enabled at instance creation time using AWS KMS. Option A is wrong because encryption is not enabled by default. Option C is wrong because encryption cannot be enabled on an existing unencrypted instance without a snapshot restore. Option D is wrong because you must specify a KMS key.
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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