- A
Amazon Aurora Global Database
Aurora Global Database replicates across regions with RPO of 1 second and RTO of 1 minute.
- B
Amazon RDS Multi-AZ
Why wrong: Multi-AZ is single-region, not cross-region.
- C
Amazon Redshift with cross-region snapshot copy
Why wrong: Redshift is a data warehouse, not suitable for transactional workloads requiring low RPO/RTO.
- D
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with Global Datastore
Why wrong: ElastiCache Global Datastore provides cross-region replication but is in-memory and not durable for primary data.
- E
Amazon DynamoDB Global Tables
DynamoDB Global Tables provide multi-region replication with low RPO and fast failover.
Question 1,479 of 1,730
Database DR with Sub-Second RPO and Minute-Level RTO
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 is designing a database for a global e-commerce platform with strong consistency requirements. The database must support cross-region disaster recovery with RPO < 1 second and RTO < 1 minute. Which TWO AWS database services meet these requirements?
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
✓
Amazon Aurora Global Database
Amazon Aurora Global Database uses storage-based replication with a typical latency of under 1 second, supporting cross-region disaster recovery with an RPO of less than 1 second and an RTO of less than 1 minute by promoting a secondary region to primary. Amazon DynamoDB Global Tables provide multi-region, fully replicated tables with strong consistency and automatic failover, achieving RPO of less than 1 second and RTO of less than 1 minute through active-active 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.
- ✓
Amazon Aurora Global Database
Why this is correct
Aurora Global Database replicates across regions with RPO of 1 second and RTO of 1 minute.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon RDS Multi-AZ
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ is single-region, not cross-region.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift with cross-region snapshot copy
Why it's wrong here
Redshift is a data warehouse, not suitable for transactional workloads requiring low RPO/RTO.
- ✗
Amazon ElastiCache for Redis with Global Datastore
Why it's wrong here
ElastiCache Global Datastore provides cross-region replication but is in-memory and not durable for primary data.
- ✓
Amazon DynamoDB Global Tables
Why this is correct
DynamoDB Global Tables provide multi-region replication with low RPO and fast failover.
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 confuse Multi-AZ (single-region HA) with cross-region DR, or assume that snapshot-based replication (like Redshift) can meet sub-second RPO, when in reality only continuous replication services like Aurora Global Database and DynamoDB Global Tables can achieve such low RPO and RTO.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora Global Database leverages a dedicated replication channel that writes to a storage layer in the secondary region, achieving sub-second replication latency without impacting primary database performance. DynamoDB Global Tables use the DynamoDB Streams to replicate changes across regions with last-writer-wins conflict resolution, and strong consistency reads are supported only within a single region, but the service ensures that all writes are replicated within seconds, enabling RPO < 1 second. The RTO for both services is achieved by promoting a secondary region to primary, which involves updating DNS records and can be automated via AWS CLI or SDK, typically completing in under a minute.
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 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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Amazon Aurora Global Database — Amazon Aurora Global Database uses storage-based replication with a typical latency of under 1 second, supporting cross-region disaster recovery with an RPO of less than 1 second and an RTO of less than 1 minute by promoting a secondary region to primary. Amazon DynamoDB Global Tables provide multi-region, fully replicated tables with strong consistency and automatic failover, achieving RPO of less than 1 second and RTO of less than 1 minute through active-active 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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