Quick Answer
The answer is licensing costs of the target database engine, along with performance requirements and the complexity of schema conversion. When evaluating factors homogeneous vs heterogeneous migration to RDS, licensing costs are critical because a homogeneous migration (e.g., Oracle to RDS Oracle) often retains existing license agreements, whereas a heterogeneous migration (e.g., Oracle to RDS PostgreSQL) can eliminate expensive commercial licenses but introduces new operational costs. Performance requirements also differ significantly: homogeneous migrations preserve the same query optimizer and indexing, while heterogeneous migrations may require re-architecting to meet SLAs due to different concurrency models. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between lift-and-shift (homogeneous) and re-platform (heterogeneous) strategies, with a common trap being to overlook schema conversion tooling like AWS DMS SCT. Memory tip: think “License, Load, and Logic” — the three Ls that drive your migration path.
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. 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.
Which THREE factors should be considered when choosing between a homogeneous migration and a heterogeneous migration to Amazon RDS? (Select THREE.)
Network latency between source and target.
Why wrong: Affects both equally.
Performance requirements of the target database.
May influence engine choice.
Amount of application code changes needed.
Why wrong: Important but not a factor for migration type choice; it's a consequence.
Schema compatibility between source and target.
Critical for heterogeneous.
Licensing costs of the target database engine.
Important cost consideration.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Performance requirements of the target database.
Option B is correct because the performance requirements of the target database directly influence the choice between homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations. In a homogeneous migration (e.g., MySQL to RDS MySQL), the target engine is identical, so performance tuning is minimal. In a heterogeneous migration (e.g., Oracle to RDS PostgreSQL), the target engine has different query optimizers, indexing strategies, and concurrency models, which may require re-architecting to meet performance SLAs. AWS DMS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) can help assess performance impacts, but the target engine's inherent performance characteristics must be evaluated upfront.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Network latency between source and target.
Why it's wrong here
Affects both equally.
Performance requirements of the target database.
Why this is correct
May influence engine choice.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amount of application code changes needed.
Why it's wrong here
Important but not a factor for migration type choice; it's a consequence.
Schema compatibility between source and target.
Why this is correct
Critical for heterogeneous.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Licensing costs of the target database engine.
Why this is correct
Important cost consideration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse migration method factors (e.g., network latency, downtime tolerance) with migration type factors (e.g., schema compatibility, licensing, performance), leading them to select A as a relevant consideration when it only applies to the migration approach, not the choice between homogeneous and heterogeneous.
Detailed technical explanation
Homogeneous migrations leverage native database dump/restore tools (e.g., mysqldump, pg_dump) or AWS DMS with minimal schema transformation, preserving query plans and stored procedures. Heterogeneous migrations require AWS SCT to convert schema objects, data types, and PL/SQL to equivalent constructs (e.g., Oracle packages to PostgreSQL functions), which can introduce subtle semantic differences in transaction isolation levels (e.g., Oracle's READ COMMITTED vs. PostgreSQL's default READ COMMITTED with snapshot isolation). A real-world scenario is migrating from Oracle to RDS Aurora PostgreSQL, where Oracle's CONNECT BY hierarchical queries must be rewritten as recursive CTEs, impacting performance if not optimized.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Deployment and Migration — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Deployment and Migration practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All DBS-C01 questions
1,730 questions across all exam domains
AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
DBS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Workload-Specific Database Design.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Deployment and Migration.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Management and Operations.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Monitoring and Troubleshooting.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to Database Security.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 fundamentals.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 scenario.
Practise DBS-C01 questions linked to DBS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Deployment and Migration — This question tests Deployment and Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Performance requirements of the target database. — Option B is correct because the performance requirements of the target database directly influence the choice between homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations. In a homogeneous migration (e.g., MySQL to RDS MySQL), the target engine is identical, so performance tuning is minimal. In a heterogeneous migration (e.g., Oracle to RDS PostgreSQL), the target engine has different query optimizers, indexing strategies, and concurrency models, which may require re-architecting to meet performance SLAs. AWS DMS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) can help assess performance impacts, but the target engine's inherent performance characteristics must be evaluated upfront.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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 →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.