DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
A company is planning to migrate a 3 TB PostgreSQL database from an on-premises data center to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The migration must have near-zero downtime. The on-premises database is using a custom pg_hba.conf that restricts access to specific IP ranges. Which combination of steps will meet the requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse AWS DMS with schema conversion tools (SCT) or assume that Aurora Replicas can be used for external replication, when in fact DMS with CDC is the correct service for heterogeneous or homogeneous 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 ongoing replication to an Aurora DB cluster. Configure the source endpoint with the appropriate connection settings.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication (CDC) enables near-zero downtime migration by continuously synchronizing changes from the source PostgreSQL database to the target Aurora PostgreSQL cluster after an initial full load. Configuring the source endpoint with the correct connection settings, including the custom pg_hba.conf IP ranges, allows DMS to connect securely. This approach meets the requirement for minimal downtime, unlike batch export/import methods.
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 an Aurora Replica of the on-premises database using cross-Region replication.
Why it's wrong here
Aurora Replicas can only be created from an existing Aurora instance, not from on-premises databases.
- ✗
Use pg_dump and pg_restore to export and import the database during a maintenance window.
Why it's wrong here
This method requires downtime and cannot achieve near-zero downtime.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS with ongoing replication to an Aurora DB cluster. Configure the source endpoint with the appropriate connection settings.
Why this is correct
DMS supports ongoing replication, and the source endpoint can be configured to connect to the on-premises database.
- ✗
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and then perform a full data load using AWS DMS.
Why it's wrong here
While SCT can convert schema, it does not provide the ongoing replication needed for near-zero downtime; DMS alone can handle both schema and data migration.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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