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Question 1,152 of 1,730

Management and Operations →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How to Enforce Minimum Backup Retention for RDS Instances Using AWS Config

This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. 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 manages multiple RDS for PostgreSQL instances in different AWS accounts. The security team requires that all DB instances have automated backups enabled with a retention period of at least 14 days. How can the company enforce this policy across all accounts?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

A
Use AWS CloudTrail to monitor backup settings and alert on non-compliance.
Why wrong: CloudTrail is used for logging API calls, not for enforcing configuration settings.
B
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires backup retention.
Why wrong: Service Control Policies (SCPs) are applied at the AWS Organizations level and can restrict permissions, but they cannot enforce resource configuration like backup retention.
C
Create an IAM policy that denies creating DB instances without backup retention.
Why wrong: IAM policies can deny creation of DB instances without backup retention, but they do not remediate existing non-compliant instances and are not as effective as AWS Config rules.
D
Use AWS Config rules to evaluate and auto-remediate non-compliant instances.
AWS Config rules can evaluate RDS instances for backup retention and trigger auto-remediation to fix non-compliant resources.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 Config rules to evaluate and auto-remediate non-compliant instances.

Option D is correct. AWS Config with managed rules can evaluate RDS instances and enforce backup settings. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail only logs API calls for auditing, it does not enforce configuration. Option B is wrong because Service Control Policies (SCPs) restrict permissions at the organization level but cannot directly require backup retention on resources. Option C is wrong because IAM policies can control permissions to create instances but cannot enforce backup retention settings on existing instances; they can deny creation if certain conditions are not met, but that is not as comprehensive as AWS Config auto-remediation.

Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.

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 CloudTrail to monitor backup settings and alert on non-compliance.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail is used for logging API calls, not for enforcing configuration settings.
✗
Apply a service control policy (SCP) that requires backup retention.
Why it's wrong here
Service Control Policies (SCPs) are applied at the AWS Organizations level and can restrict permissions, but they cannot enforce resource configuration like backup retention.
✗
Create an IAM policy that denies creating DB instances without backup retention.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies can deny creation of DB instances without backup retention, but they do not remediate existing non-compliant instances and are not as effective as AWS Config rules.
✓
Use AWS Config rules to evaluate and auto-remediate non-compliant instances.
Why this is correct
AWS Config rules can evaluate RDS instances for backup retention and trigger auto-remediation to fix non-compliant resources.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match

ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.

TExam Day Tips

Check inbound versus outbound direction.
Read the ACL from top to bottom.
Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.

Key takeaway

ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related DBS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this DBS-C01 question test?

Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — Standard ACLs match source addresses..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Use AWS Config rules to evaluate and auto-remediate non-compliant instances. — Option D is correct. AWS Config with managed rules can evaluate RDS instances and enforce backup settings. Option A is wrong because CloudTrail only logs API calls for auditing, it does not enforce configuration. Option B is wrong because Service Control Policies (SCPs) restrict permissions at the organization level but cannot directly require backup retention on resources. Option C is wrong because IAM policies can control permissions to create instances but cannot enforce backup retention settings on existing instances; they can deny creation if certain conditions are not met, but that is not as comprehensive as AWS Config auto-remediation.

What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Standard ACLs match source addresses.

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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.