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 500 GB SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. They need to minimize downtime and support ongoing changes during migration. Which approach should they take?
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 change data capture (CDC)
AWS DMS with full load and change data capture (CDC) is the correct approach because it allows the initial 500 GB data load to be migrated while continuously replicating ongoing changes from the source SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover only after the target is fully synchronized, and it supports ongoing changes during migration without requiring the source database to be taken offline.
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 native SQL Server backup and restore to RDS
Why it's wrong here
Backup/restore requires the database to be offline during backup.
✗
Set up a Direct Connect connection and use log shipping
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect is a network connection, not a migration tool.
✗
Use SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) to replicate data
Why it's wrong here
SSIS is not designed for ongoing replication with minimal downtime.
✓
Use AWS DMS with full load and change data capture (CDC)
Why this is correct
DMS with CDC enables 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.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse log shipping (a native SQL Server HA feature) with AWS DMS CDC, but log shipping is not supported on RDS for SQL Server, making DMS the only viable option for minimizing downtime with ongoing changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses a replication instance to connect to the source SQL Server database via ODBC or JDBC and reads the transaction log (LSNs) to capture ongoing changes. For SQL Server, DMS supports CDC by enabling MS-REPLICATION or using the native SQL Server CDC feature, which tracks inserts, updates, and deletes without impacting source performance significantly. In a real-world scenario, the initial full load can be parallelized across multiple tables, and the CDC phase ensures near-zero downtime during cutover, with a typical replication lag of seconds.
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 change data capture (CDC) — AWS DMS with full load and change data capture (CDC) is the correct approach because it allows the initial 500 GB data load to be migrated while continuously replicating ongoing changes from the source SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover only after the target is fully synchronized, and it supports ongoing changes during migration without requiring the source database to be taken offline.
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.