DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
A company is migrating an on-premises PostgreSQL database to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The database currently uses a custom extension that is not supported by RDS. The application relies heavily on this extension for advanced statistical analysis. Which design approach should the company take to minimize application changes?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume RDS for PostgreSQL supports all PostgreSQL extensions, but AWS explicitly restricts custom extensions, making Option C a common distractor that seems plausible but is technically impossible.
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
✓
Migrate to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and implement the extension's functionality using AWS Lambda functions called via triggers.
It allows the company to offload the unsupported custom extension's statistical analysis logic to AWS Lambda functions, which can be invoked via RDS PostgreSQL triggers. This approach minimizes application changes by keeping the database schema and query patterns largely intact, while the Lambda functions handle the advanced computations externally. RDS does not allow custom extensions, so this pattern leverages RDS for PostgreSQL's native trigger support to integrate with Lambda without modifying the application's core database interactions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Migrate to PostgreSQL on Amazon EC2 and install the custom extension.
Why it's wrong here
EC2 adds operational overhead and is not the minimal change approach.
- ✗
Migrate to Amazon DynamoDB and implement statistical analysis using DynamoDB streams and Lambda.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is not relational and would require significant application changes.
- ✗
Migrate to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and install the custom extension on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
RDS for PostgreSQL does not support custom extensions.
- ✓
Migrate to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and implement the extension's functionality using AWS Lambda functions called via triggers.
Why this is correct
Lambda can replicate the extension's behavior without modifying the application.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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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.