DBS-C01 Database Security Practice Question
A company is using Amazon RDS for SQL Server with Multi-AZ deployment. The security team wants to ensure that database audit logs are stored in a secure S3 bucket for long-term retention. The audit logs are currently stored on the RDS instance. Which approach should be used to export the audit logs to S3?
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
✓
Modify the RDS instance to use the 'SQLSERVER_AUDIT' option and specify an S3 bucket as the audit destination.
RDS for SQL Server provides the 'SQLSERVER_AUDIT' option to export audit logs directly to an S3 bucket. This option is configured in the RDS option group and allows specifying the S3 bucket as the destination. Option A is incorrect because it refers to Oracle's 'Audit' feature, not SQL Server. Option C is incorrect because the 'General Log' is for MySQL/MariaDB and does not apply to SQL Server audit logs. Option D, while feasible, is not the most direct or recommended approach for exporting audit logs to S3; exporting via CloudWatch Logs adds complexity and latency compared to the native 'SQLSERVER_AUDIT' option.
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 the Amazon RDS for Oracle 'Audit' feature and specify an S3 bucket as the audit trail destination.
Why it's wrong here
This is for Oracle, not SQL Server.
- ✓
Modify the RDS instance to use the 'SQLSERVER_AUDIT' option and specify an S3 bucket as the audit destination.
Why this is correct
RDS for SQL Server supports this option group for exporting audit logs to S3.
- ✗
Enable the 'General Log' option in the RDS parameter group and configure the log destination as S3.
Why it's wrong here
RDS for SQL Server does not have a 'General Log' option for S3.
- ✗
Configure the RDS instance to publish logs to CloudWatch Logs, and then export CloudWatch Logs to S3 using a subscription filter.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, this is not the direct method; RDS for SQL Server can export audit logs directly to S3.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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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.