DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
A company is migrating an on-premises MySQL database to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The database uses InnoDB tables and is 500 GB in size. The migration must be completed within a 2-hour maintenance window. Which approach is MOST likely to meet the requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose AWS DMS (Option C) assuming it is the fastest migration tool, but for a one-time migration within a strict 2-hour window, mysqldump's simplicity and direct control often outperform DMS's overhead, especially when CDC is not required.
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 mysqldump to export the database and then import it into RDS.
B is correct because mysqldump creates a logical backup that can be imported into Amazon RDS for MySQL within the 2-hour window for a 500 GB database, assuming sufficient network bandwidth and parallel import optimizations. The migration must complete within a fixed maintenance window, and mysqldump allows direct control over the export and import process, making it predictable for a single-shot migration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a read replica of the on-premises database and promote it to RDS.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a read replica of an on-premises MySQL database requires the source to have binary logging enabled and a stable network connection for continuous replication, which cannot guarantee completion of a full 500 GB initial data load within a 2-hour maintenance window due to bandwidth and lag constraints. This approach is tempting because read replicas are designed for offloading read traffic or enabling low-downtime cross-region migrations when the initial sync time is not a strict deadline, making it correct for scenarios where the source database is already running on RDS or where a longer migration window is acceptable.
- ✓
Use mysqldump to export the database and then import it into RDS.
Why this is correct
mysqldump with --single-transaction provides a consistent export without locking.
- ✗
Use AWS DMS with a full load task.
Why it's wrong here
DMS full load may not finish within 2 hours for 500 GB depending on bandwidth.
- ✗
Take a physical backup of the data directory and copy it to RDS.
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not support direct import of physical backups from on-premises.
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