MySQL to Amazon Aurora MySQL Migration Using AWS DMS
A company is migrating an on-premises MySQL database to Amazon Aurora MySQL. The database is 2 TB and the migration must have minimal downtime. The network bandwidth between the on-premises data center and AWS is 1 Gbps. Which migration approach is most appropriate?
Quick Answer
The answer is to use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication. This approach is correct because DMS performs a full load of the 2 TB database and then uses change data capture (CDC) to continuously replicate ongoing changes from the on-premises MySQL source to the Amazon Aurora MySQL target, keeping them synchronized until the cutover. Since the network bandwidth is 1 Gbps, the initial load is feasible in roughly five hours, making DMS the most appropriate method for achieving minimal downtime. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of live migration strategies versus bulk import tools; a common trap is choosing AWS Snowball for large datasets, but here the bandwidth is sufficient, so DMS is the right fit. Remember: for live migrations with minimal downtime, think “DMS with CDC” — if the pipe is big enough, skip the ball.
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose Snowball Edge for large datasets without considering that the question explicitly requires minimal downtime, and Snowball's physical shipping time (days) cannot meet that requirement, whereas DMS with CDC provides near-zero downtime.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync
AWS DMS with ongoing replication is the most appropriate approach because it allows a full load of the 2 TB database followed by continuous change data capture (CDC) to keep the target Aurora MySQL cluster in sync with minimal downtime. At 1 Gbps, the initial load would take approximately 5–6 hours, but the CDC phase reduces the final cutover downtime to seconds or minutes, meeting the minimal downtime requirement.
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 mysqldump to export the data, upload to Amazon S3, and import into Aurora
Why it's wrong here
This approach requires application downtime during the import.
- ✗
Take a snapshot of the on-premises database and restore it to Aurora
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are not directly supported for on-premises databases.
- ✗
Use AWS Snowball Edge to transfer the data physically to AWS
Why it's wrong here
Snowball is for large data sets with low bandwidth; 2 TB over 1 Gbps is manageable with DMS.
- ✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync
Why this is correct
DMS supports continuous replication, allowing minimal downtime migration.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 1,663 original DBS-C01 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on DBS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is migrating its on-premises MySQL database to Amazon Aurora MySQL. The current database has a table of 500 GB that is accessed by a nightly batch job that updates 80% of the rows. The company wants to minimize downtime during migration. Which migration strategy is MOST appropriate?
medium- ✓ A.Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with Aurora as the target.
- B.Create an Aurora read replica from the on-premises database.
- C.Export the data to Amazon S3 and load it into Aurora using the LOAD DATA FROM S3 command.
- D.Use mysqldump to export the database and import it into Aurora.
Why A: AWS DMS supports ongoing replication from an on-premises MySQL source to Amazon Aurora MySQL, allowing the nightly batch job to continue running during the initial full load. After the full load completes, DMS captures incremental changes and applies them to Aurora, enabling a cutover with minimal downtime. This approach is ideal for large tables (500 GB) with high update volumes because it avoids a lengthy offline export/import process.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.