The answer is that Aurora Global Database supports up to 5 secondary AWS Regions. This is correct because the service uses a dedicated, low-latency replication channel that asynchronously forwards writes from any secondary region to the primary, while each secondary cluster remains fully readable and can accept local write requests. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding of global database architecture limits and the distinction between synchronous and asynchronous replication—a common trap is confusing Aurora Global Database’s 5-region limit with the 2-region limit of other global services. Remember that Aurora Global Database is designed for cross-region disaster recovery and low-latency local writes, not for strong global consistency. Memory tip: think “5 for global, 2 for local” to recall that Aurora Global Database supports up to five secondary regions, while standard Aurora replication is limited to two.
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.
Which TWO are valid considerations when designing a global database with Amazon Aurora Global Database? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Secondary regions can forward write operations to the primary region.
Option D is correct because Amazon Aurora Global Database uses a primary-region architecture where secondary regions are fully readable and can forward write operations to the primary region. This is achieved through a dedicated replication channel that allows secondary clusters to accept write requests and asynchronously forward them to the primary, ensuring low-latency local writes while maintaining global consistency.
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.
✗
Secondary regions cannot have their own reader instances.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Secondary regions can have reader instances.
✗
Failover requires promoting the secondary cluster to a standalone cluster.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Failover can be managed by RDS; no need to promote to standalone.
✗
Cross-region replication latency is typically under 100 milliseconds.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Latency is typically under 1 second, not 100 ms.
✓
Secondary regions can forward write operations to the primary region.
Why this is correct
Correct: Write forwarding is a feature of Aurora Global Database.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Aurora Global Database supports up to 5 secondary AWS Regions.
Why this is correct
Correct: Maximum of 5 secondary regions.
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 assume secondary regions are read-only and cannot accept writes, but Aurora Global Database allows secondary regions to forward write operations to the primary, which is a key differentiator from traditional read replicas.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Aurora Global Database leverages a dedicated, high-throughput replication link that uses the same storage engine as Aurora but with a separate replication channel that bypasses the database engine, enabling sub-second replication lag across regions. In a real-world scenario, if a secondary region experiences a write request, the secondary cluster forwards it to the primary region via the global replication link, and the primary applies the change and propagates it back to all secondaries, ensuring eventual consistency without requiring application-level routing.
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
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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: Secondary regions can forward write operations to the primary region. — Option D is correct because Amazon Aurora Global Database uses a primary-region architecture where secondary regions are fully readable and can forward write operations to the primary region. This is achieved through a dedicated replication channel that allows secondary clusters to accept write requests and asynchronously forward them to the primary, ensuring low-latency local writes while maintaining global consistency.
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.
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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