- A
Use Amazon DynamoDB Streams to capture changes from the RDS instance.
Why wrong: DynamoDB Streams only works with DynamoDB.
- B
Enable MySQL native replication from the RDS instance to the reporting database.
Why wrong: RDS does not facilitate native replication to external MySQL instances.
- C
Use Amazon Kinesis Data Streams with a custom application to poll the binlog.
Why wrong: Possible but not a managed service; more complex.
- D
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication enabled.
DMS can capture changes from RDS MySQL binlog with minimal impact.
Question 92 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 runs a MySQL database on Amazon RDS and wants to capture data changes to replicate to a separate reporting database. Which AWS service should be used to capture these changes with minimal impact on the source database?
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
✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication enabled.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication (change data capture) is the correct choice because it reads the binary logs (binlog) from the source RDS MySQL instance to capture inserts, updates, and deletes with minimal overhead. DMS uses a dedicated replication instance and can apply changes to a separate reporting database without requiring schema changes or additional load from application-level polling. This approach is fully managed and designed for low-impact, continuous replication.
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.
- ✗
Use Amazon DynamoDB Streams to capture changes from the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB Streams only works with DynamoDB.
- ✗
Enable MySQL native replication from the RDS instance to the reporting database.
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not facilitate native replication to external MySQL instances.
- ✗
Use Amazon Kinesis Data Streams with a custom application to poll the binlog.
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not a managed service; more complex.
- ✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication enabled.
Why this is correct
DMS can capture changes from RDS MySQL binlog with minimal impact.
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 may confuse DynamoDB Streams (which is for NoSQL) with a general-purpose CDC service, or assume that native MySQL replication is the simplest approach without considering the managed, low-impact alternative that DMS provides for heterogeneous or cross-engine replication.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DMS ongoing replication uses MySQL row-based binary logging (binlog_format=ROW) to capture each row change as a discrete event, ensuring transactional consistency. The DMS replication instance reads the binlog position and applies changes to the target database in near real-time, with automatic handling of failover and resumption from the last committed position. In a real-world scenario, this allows a reporting database to stay synchronized with sub-second latency while the source RDS instance handles OLTP workloads without additional application code.
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.
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Workload-Specific Database Design — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
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: Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication enabled. — AWS DMS with ongoing replication (change data capture) is the correct choice because it reads the binary logs (binlog) from the source RDS MySQL instance to capture inserts, updates, and deletes with minimal overhead. DMS uses a dedicated replication instance and can apply changes to a separate reporting database without requiring schema changes or additional load from application-level polling. This approach is fully managed and designed for low-impact, continuous replication.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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