DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
A company wants to migrate a 500 GB MySQL database from an on-premises server to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The migration must be completed within a 2-hour downtime window. Which migration approach is MOST suitable?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume mysqldump (Option B) is the simplest and fastest method for a one-time migration, but they overlook the massive performance penalty of logical backups for large datasets, and they may not realize that Percona XtraBackup is the only option among these that can reliably complete a 500 GB migration within a 2-hour window.
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
✓
Create a compressed backup using Percona XtraBackup, upload it to S3, and restore it to RDS.
Percona XtraBackup allows you to create a physical backup of the MySQL database that can be compressed and uploaded to Amazon S3, then restored directly to an Amazon RDS for MySQL instance. This approach is significantly faster than logical backups (like mysqldump) for a 500 GB database, as it bypasses SQL parsing and rebuilds the data files directly, enabling completion within a 2-hour downtime window.
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 AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load.
Why it's wrong here
DMS full load may be slower than a direct restore due to network overhead.
- ✗
Use mysqldump to export the database and then import it into RDS.
Why it's wrong here
mysqldump is slower for 500 GB and may not complete within 2 hours.
- ✗
Create an RDS Read Replica of the on-premises database and promote it.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Read Replicas cannot be created from on-premises databases.
- ✓
Create a compressed backup using Percona XtraBackup, upload it to S3, and restore it to RDS.
Why this is correct
Percona XtraBackup creates a fast physical backup; restoring from S3 is efficient and can complete within 2 hours.
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 wants to migrate a 10 GB PostgreSQL database from an on-premises server to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The migration can tolerate several hours of downtime. Which migration method is the MOST straightforward?
easy- A.Use AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication
- B.Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to migrate the data
- C.Create an Amazon RDS Read Replica from the on-premises database
- ✓ D.Use pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import into RDS
Why D: Pg_dump and pg_restore are native PostgreSQL utilities that provide a straightforward, reliable method for migrating a 10 GB database with acceptable downtime. The 10 GB size is well within the practical limits of a logical dump, and the process requires no additional AWS services or complex configuration, making it the simplest approach for a migration that can tolerate several hours of downtime.
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.