The answer is to set up Keyspaces as a new datacenter in the existing Cassandra cluster using native replication. This is the most efficient migration strategy because it leverages Cassandra’s built-in gossip protocol and asynchronous replication to add Amazon Keyspaces as a logical datacenter, allowing data to stream continuously without any application downtime or changes to the existing cluster topology. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of native Cassandra replication versus external tools; a common trap is assuming AWS DMS can handle Cassandra as a source, but it does not support Keyspaces as a target. Remember that for high-throughput, zero-downtime migrations, you want to keep Cassandra’s own replication layer in play rather than resorting to batch exports or CQL COPY, which cannot sustain 50,000 writes per second. Memory tip: think “add a datacenter, not a tool” — native replication is the only option that treats Keyspaces as part of the cluster, not an external sink.
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. 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 is migrating a self-hosted Cassandra cluster to Amazon Keyspaces (for Apache Cassandra). The cluster has 10 nodes and handles 50,000 writes per second. Which migration strategy is MOST efficient?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set up Keyspaces as a new datacenter in the existing Cassandra cluster using native replication.
Option A is correct because using native Cassandra replication allows seamless migration with zero downtime by adding Keyspaces as a new datacenter. Option B is wrong because DMS does not support Cassandra as a source for Keyspaces. Option C is wrong because CQL COPY is not suitable for high throughput writes and requires downtime. Option D is wrong because S3 export/import is a batch process, not real-time.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Set up Keyspaces as a new datacenter in the existing Cassandra cluster using native replication.
Why this is correct
Allows live migration with minimal downtime.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Export data using CQL COPY and import into Keyspaces.
Why it's wrong here
Not efficient for high throughput, causes downtime.
✗
Use AWS Glue to extract data from Cassandra and write to Keyspaces.
Why it's wrong here
Glue is for ETL, not real-time migration.
✗
Use AWS DMS with Cassandra as source and Keyspaces as target.
Why it's wrong here
DMS does not support Cassandra as a source.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up Keyspaces as a new datacenter in the existing Cassandra cluster using native replication. — Option A is correct because using native Cassandra replication allows seamless migration with zero downtime by adding Keyspaces as a new datacenter. Option B is wrong because DMS does not support Cassandra as a source for Keyspaces. Option C is wrong because CQL COPY is not suitable for high throughput writes and requires downtime. Option D is wrong because S3 export/import is a batch process, not real-time.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DBS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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