The answer is to enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days. This is correct because point-in-time recovery (PITR) for Amazon RDS MySQL relies exclusively on automated backups, which capture transaction logs and allow you to restore to any second within the retention window. Setting the retention period to 35 days directly satisfies the 35-day recovery requirement, as the backup retention period defines how far back PITR can reach. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that manual snapshots, while useful for long-term archival, do not support PITR—a common trap where candidates mistakenly choose a manual snapshot option. Remember the key distinction: automated backups enable granular recovery, manual snapshots do not. A helpful memory tip is “Auto for PITR, Manual for Archive”—automated backups are the only path to point-in-time recovery, and the retention period sets the window.
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company runs a MySQL database on Amazon RDS for a financial application that requires point-in-time recovery (PITR) with a recovery window of at least 35 days. The database is 500 GB in size. Which TWO actions should be taken to meet these requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set the backup retention period to 35 days.
Amazon RDS for MySQL supports point-in-time recovery (PITR) only through automated backups. The backup retention period controls how far back you can perform PITR. Setting the retention period to 35 days ensures that automated backups are retained for that duration, meeting the 35-day recovery window requirement. Manual snapshots do not support PITR, so option B is correct.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding 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.
✗
Create manual snapshots every day.
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots do not support PITR; they are point-in-time snapshots but not incremental.
✓
Set the backup retention period to 35 days.
Why this is correct
Automated backups with retention up to 35 days enable PITR.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable deletion protection on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Deletion protection prevents accidental deletion but does not affect PITR.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ deployment for high availability.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ improves availability but is not required for PITR.
✓
Enable automated backups with a retention period of 35 days.
Why this is correct
This is required for PITR within 35 days.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse manual snapshots with automated backups, assuming manual snapshots support PITR, but only automated backups (with transaction logs) enable point-in-time recovery to any second within the retention window.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Automated backups in RDS include transaction logs, which are essential for PITR. The retention period defines how long these backups and logs are stored; setting it to 35 days allows restoration to any point within that window, down to the second. Note that automated backups must be enabled for PITR to work; disabling them would prevent any point-in-time recovery, even if manual snapshots exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set the backup retention period to 35 days. — Amazon RDS for MySQL supports point-in-time recovery (PITR) only through automated backups. The backup retention period controls how far back you can perform PITR. Setting the retention period to 35 days ensures that automated backups are retained for that duration, meeting the 35-day recovery window requirement. Manual snapshots do not support PITR, so option B is correct.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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