- A
Use AWS Snowball to transfer the full database and then use DMS for CDC
Why wrong: Snowball transfer would take days, exceeding the downtime window.
- B
Increase the network bandwidth using AWS Direct Connect
Why wrong: Network bandwidth is not the bottleneck; DMS processing capacity is.
- C
Increase the transaction log retention period on the source database and use a larger DMS replication instance
Longer log retention prevents cleanup before DMS captures changes; larger instance boosts CDC throughput.
- D
Decrease the transaction log retention period to free up space
Why wrong: Decreasing retention would exacerbate the problem.
Question 83 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 3 TB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The migration must have minimal downtime. The on-premises network bandwidth to AWS is 1 Gbps. The database supports a critical application that cannot be stopped for more than 30 minutes. The migration team has set up AWS DMS with ongoing replication using CDC. The initial full load is expected to take 8 hours. During the migration, the DMS task fails with an error indicating that the source database's transaction log is being cleaned before DMS can capture changes. The source database has a transaction log retention period of 24 hours. The migration team notices that the CDC phase falls behind during peak hours. What should the team do to complete the migration successfully within the downtime 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
✓
Increase the transaction log retention period on the source database and use a larger DMS replication instance
The issue is that DMS cannot keep up with changes during peak hours, causing the transaction logs to be cleaned before DMS reads them. Increasing the source database's transaction log retention period gives DMS more time to catch up. Using a larger DMS replication instance will increase processing capacity. Option C is the best combination. Option A (Snowball) would take too long. Option B (Direct Connect) doesn't solve the log retention issue. Option D (decrease retention) makes the problem worse.
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 AWS Snowball to transfer the full database and then use DMS for CDC
Why it's wrong here
Snowball transfer would take days, exceeding the downtime window.
- ✗
Increase the network bandwidth using AWS Direct Connect
Why it's wrong here
Network bandwidth is not the bottleneck; DMS processing capacity is.
- ✓
Increase the transaction log retention period on the source database and use a larger DMS replication instance
Why this is correct
Longer log retention prevents cleanup before DMS captures changes; larger instance boosts CDC throughput.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Decrease the transaction log retention period to free up space
Why it's wrong here
Decreasing retention would exacerbate the problem.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the transaction log retention period on the source database and use a larger DMS replication instance — The issue is that DMS cannot keep up with changes during peak hours, causing the transaction logs to be cleaned before DMS reads them. Increasing the source database's transaction log retention period gives DMS more time to catch up. Using a larger DMS replication instance will increase processing capacity. Option C is the best combination. Option A (Snowball) would take too long. Option B (Direct Connect) doesn't solve the log retention issue. Option D (decrease retention) makes the problem worse.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DBS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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