DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. 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 is migrating a 3 TB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. They need to minimize downtime and ensure that the migration is completed within a maintenance window. Which approach should they use?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 with full load and ongoing replication (CDC)
AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC) is the correct approach because it allows you to perform an initial full load of the 3 TB database while continuously capturing changes from the source PostgreSQL using logical replication (via the pglogical extension or native slot-based replication). This minimizes downtime by keeping the target Aurora PostgreSQL nearly synchronized, and you can switch over during a maintenance window with only a brief outage to apply any final lag.
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.
✓
Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC)
Why this is correct
DMS with CDC supports minimal downtime by replicating changes.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and then migrate data
Why it's wrong here
SCT only converts schema, not data.
✗
Use pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import into Aurora
Why it's wrong here
pg_dump/pg_restore requires downtime and is slow for large databases.
✗
Take a file system snapshot and restore to Aurora
Why it's wrong here
File system snapshots are not directly restorable to Aurora.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose pg_dump/pg_restore (Option C) because it is a familiar tool, but they overlook the requirement to minimize downtime, which CDC-based replication uniquely addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS for PostgreSQL-to-Aurora PostgreSQL uses logical replication slots on the source to capture CDC changes; the full load phase uses a parallel table load strategy to maximize throughput, and the ongoing replication phase applies transactions in near real-time. A key subtlety is that DMS requires the source PostgreSQL to have `rds.logical_replication` set to 1 (or equivalent parameter) and may need a replication slot, which can cause WAL retention and potential storage growth if not monitored. In real-world scenarios, for a 3 TB database, the full load might take hours, but CDC ensures that only seconds of downtime are needed for the final cutover.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC) — AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC) is the correct approach because it allows you to perform an initial full load of the 3 TB database while continuously capturing changes from the source PostgreSQL using logical replication (via the pglogical extension or native slot-based replication). This minimizes downtime by keeping the target Aurora PostgreSQL nearly synchronized, and you can switch over during a maintenance window with only a brief outage to apply any final lag.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.