- A
Use a custom DB parameter group with SSL enabled.
Why wrong: Parameter group doesn't control encryption at rest.
- B
Modify the DB instance to enable encryption after creation.
Why wrong: Encryption can only be enabled at creation time.
- C
Enable SSL/TLS on the RDS instance.
Why wrong: SSL/TLS is for in-transit encryption.
- D
Select encryption option when creating the RDS instance.
Encryption at rest is enabled at launch.
Question 314 of 1,730
How to Enable Encryption at Rest on Amazon RDS for MySQL
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 deploying a MySQL database on Amazon RDS and needs to enforce encryption at rest. Which configuration step is required?
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
✓
Select encryption option when creating the RDS instance.
Option D is correct because Amazon RDS for MySQL requires encryption at rest to be enabled at instance creation time by selecting the encryption option in the AWS Management Console, CLI, or API. Encryption at rest uses AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt the underlying storage, automated backups, read replicas, and snapshots. This setting cannot be applied to an existing unencrypted DB instance, so it must be chosen during the initial launch.
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 a custom DB parameter group with SSL enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Parameter group doesn't control encryption at rest.
- ✗
Modify the DB instance to enable encryption after creation.
Why it's wrong here
Encryption can only be enabled at creation time.
- ✗
Enable SSL/TLS on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
SSL/TLS is for in-transit encryption.
- ✓
Select encryption option when creating the RDS instance.
Why this is correct
Encryption at rest is enabled at launch.
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 encryption at rest with encryption in transit (SSL/TLS), leading them to select options that enable SSL rather than the required storage-level encryption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Encryption at rest for Amazon RDS MySQL is implemented using AES-256 encryption via AWS KMS, which encrypts the EBS volume, automated backups, and snapshots transparently. The encryption key can be either the default AWS managed key (aws/rds) or a customer managed key (CMK) for additional control. A common real-world scenario is a compliance requirement (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) that mandates encryption at rest, forcing the DBA to plan for encryption during the initial deployment because enabling it later requires a full migration to a new encrypted instance.
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
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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: Select encryption option when creating the RDS instance. — Option D is correct because Amazon RDS for MySQL requires encryption at rest to be enabled at instance creation time by selecting the encryption option in the AWS Management Console, CLI, or API. Encryption at rest uses AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to encrypt the underlying storage, automated backups, read replicas, and snapshots. This setting cannot be applied to an existing unencrypted DB instance, so it must be chosen during the initial launch.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on DBS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is deploying a new Amazon RDS for MySQL database. The security team requires that all data at rest be encrypted. What is the simplest way to meet this requirement?
medium- A.Enable encryption using AWS Certificate Manager
- B.Use client-side encryption in the application
- ✓ C.Enable encryption at rest when creating the RDS instance using an AWS KMS key
- D.Enable encryption at rest on the RDS instance after creation
Why C: Amazon RDS for MySQL supports encryption at rest using AWS KMS keys, which must be enabled at instance creation time because encryption cannot be added to an existing unencrypted RDS instance. Option C is correct because it describes the simplest and most direct method: enabling encryption at rest during the initial RDS instance creation with an AWS KMS key, which transparently encrypts the underlying storage, automated backups, read replicas, and snapshots.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This DBS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DBS-C01 exam.
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