DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
A company is migrating an on-premises PostgreSQL database to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The database is 2 TB in size and has a high write volume. The migration window is limited to 4 hours. Which migration approach provides the fastest initial load with minimal downtime?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse AWS DMS with schema conversion tools (AWS SCT) or assume that traditional dump/restore tools are sufficient for large, high-write databases, overlooking DMS's native logical replication capability for same-engine migrations with minimal 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 DMS with PostgreSQL as source and target, using native logical replication for full load and ongoing replication.
AWS DMS with native logical replication (using PostgreSQL's built-in logical replication slots) performs a full load of the 2 TB database while simultaneously capturing ongoing changes, enabling near-zero downtime during the migration window. This approach is optimized for high-write volumes and limited windows, as it avoids the need for a separate export/import step and minimizes the time the source database is unavailable.
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 pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import into RDS.
Why it's wrong here
pg_dump/pg_restore can be slow for large databases and requires downtime for the entire export/import process.
- ✗
Create a read replica of the on-premises database and promote it to a standalone database in RDS.
Why it's wrong here
Read replicas are not supported between on-premises and RDS; they require an existing RDS instance.
- ✗
Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the schema and then use AWS DMS for ongoing replication.
Why it's wrong here
SCT only converts schema, not data; DMS is needed for data migration but this approach includes SCT overhead.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS with PostgreSQL as source and target, using native logical replication for full load and ongoing replication.
Why this is correct
DMS with logical replication can perform a full load quickly and then keep the target in sync with minimal downtime.
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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.