DBS-C01 Database Security Practice Question
A company uses Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. The security team requires that all data loaded into the cluster be encrypted at rest using a customer-managed KMS key. The cluster is currently unencrypted. What is the most efficient way to achieve this requirement with minimal data loss?
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
✓
Unload the data from the existing cluster to S3, create a new encrypted cluster using the KMS key, and reload the data from S3.
An existing unencrypted Redshift cluster cannot be encrypted in place. The only way to achieve encryption using a customer-managed KMS key is to unload the data to S3, create a new encrypted cluster with the desired KMS key, and reload the data. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because Redshift does not support enabling encryption on an existing cluster, modifying an existing cluster to enable encryption, or adding encryption to an unencrypted snapshot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Unload the data from the existing cluster to S3, create a new encrypted cluster using the KMS key, and reload the data from S3.
Why this is correct
This is the recommended approach to migrate data to an encrypted cluster.
- ✗
Change the cluster parameter group to enable encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Parameter groups do not control encryption.
- ✗
Modify the cluster and enable encryption in the Redshift console.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption cannot be enabled on an existing cluster.
- ✗
Take a snapshot of the cluster, copy the snapshot with encryption, and restore from the encrypted snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift snapshots are not used to encrypt clusters; the cluster must be encrypted at creation.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on DBS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is using Amazon Redshift for data warehousing. They need to ensure that data is encrypted at rest using a customer-managed AWS KMS key. The cluster is currently unencrypted. What is the simplest way to enable encryption?
medium- ✓ A.Create a new Redshift cluster with encryption enabled and migrate the data.
- B.Enable encryption directly on the existing cluster using AWS CLI.
- C.Create a snapshot of the existing cluster and restore it to a new encrypted cluster.
- D.Modify the existing cluster and enable encryption using the Redshift console.
Why A: You cannot enable encryption on an existing Amazon Redshift cluster. The simplest approach is to create a new cluster with encryption enabled using a customer-managed AWS KMS key, then migrate the data from the old cluster to the new one using tools such as UNLOAD/COPY or AWS DMS. Option C (snapshot and restore) is also valid, but it is not the simplest because it requires creating a snapshot and then restoring it to a new encrypted cluster, which involves extra steps. Therefore, option A is correct.
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.