DBS-C01 Management and Operations Practice Question
A company runs an Amazon RDS for SQL Server DB instance in a VPC. The security group for the DB instance allows inbound traffic on port 1433 from the application servers' security group. The application servers can connect to the database, but a database administrator cannot connect from their workstation using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). What is the MOST likely cause?
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
✓
The security group does not allow inbound traffic from the DBA workstation's IP address.
The DBA's workstation is not within the VPC, so it needs a public IP and the security group must allow inbound traffic from the workstation's IP. Option A (DBA's IP not in security group) is correct. Option B (SSMS version) is unlikely; Option C (Multi-AZ) irrelevant; Option D (encryption) does not prevent connection.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The security group does not allow inbound traffic from the DBA workstation's IP address.
Why this is correct
The security group only allows traffic from the app servers; the DBA's IP is not allowed.
- ✗
The DBA is using an incompatible version of SSMS.
Why it's wrong here
SSMS version does not affect connectivity.
- ✗
The DB instance is configured as Multi-AZ, which restricts direct connections.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ does not restrict connections.
- ✗
The DB instance has encryption enabled, which blocks non-encrypted connections.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption does not block connections; it encrypts data in transit.
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JA
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.