This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 an on-premises MySQL database to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The database has a large table with frequent inserts and updates. To minimize downtime during migration, which AWS service should be used?
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.
Amazon RDS read replica
Why wrong: Read replica requires existing RDS instance, not for on-prem migration.
AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)
Why wrong: SCT converts schema, not replicate data continuously.
AWS Glue
Why wrong: Glue is for ETL, not continuous replication.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
DMS supports minimal downtime with ongoing replication.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) is the correct choice because it supports ongoing replication (change data capture, CDC) from an on-premises MySQL source to Amazon RDS for MySQL, allowing the source database to remain fully operational during the migration. This minimizes downtime by continuously applying inserts and updates from the source to the target until you perform the final cutover, which can be a brief pause of seconds to minutes.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Amazon RDS read replica
Why it's wrong here
Read replica requires existing RDS instance, not for on-prem migration.
AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)
Why it's wrong here
SCT converts schema, not replicate data continuously.
AWS Glue
Why it's wrong here
Glue is for ETL, not continuous replication.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why this is correct
DMS supports minimal downtime with ongoing replication.
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
The trap here is that candidates confuse AWS DMS with AWS SCT, assuming SCT handles data migration, but SCT only converts schema/code for heterogeneous migrations, while DMS handles the actual data transfer and CDC for both homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS DMS uses a replication instance to read the source database's binary logs (binlog) for MySQL CDC, capturing row-level changes in near real-time. During the full load phase, DMS creates tables and loads existing data in parallel, then transitions to CDC to keep the target synchronized; the final cutover can be as short as stopping writes on the source and applying any remaining CDC lag. In practice, for a large table with frequent writes, you must ensure the source binlog retention is long enough (e.g., 24 hours) to avoid log truncation before CDC completes.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) — AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) is the correct choice because it supports ongoing replication (change data capture, CDC) from an on-premises MySQL source to Amazon RDS for MySQL, allowing the source database to remain fully operational during the migration. This minimizes downtime by continuously applying inserts and updates from the source to the target until you perform the final cutover, which can be a brief pause of seconds to minutes.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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