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Question 623 of 1,730

Deployment and Migration →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct approach is to use AWS Snowball to transfer a physical backup for the initial load, then AWS DMS for ongoing replication. This combination directly addresses the challenge of migrating a large database over a slow network by offloading the bulk data transfer to Snowball’s physical shipping, which bypasses bandwidth constraints entirely. After the Snowball data is loaded into Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, DMS handles the minimal remaining changes via change data capture, keeping downtime to a near-zero window. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of hybrid migration strategies where network speed is the bottleneck—a common trap is choosing DMS alone for the full load, which would take prohibitively long over limited bandwidth. Remember the memory tip: “Snowball for the big haul, DMS for the final call.”

DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question

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.

A company is migrating a 10 TB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. They need to minimize downtime and have limited network bandwidth. Which approach is most appropriate?

Clue words in this question

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

Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Full question →

A
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load and ongoing replication to keep the target in sync.
Why wrong: Full load over limited bandwidth may take too long; initial load should be done offline.
B
Use pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import to RDS, then use DMS for replication.
Why wrong: pg_dump/pg_restore requires downtime; not minimal downtime.
C
Use AWS Snowball to transfer a physical backup to AWS, then use DMS for ongoing replication.
Snowball handles the large initial load offline; DMS handles ongoing changes with minimal bandwidth.
D
Use AWS Direct Connect to increase bandwidth and then use DMS for full load and replication.
Why wrong: Direct Connect may not be available or may take time to provision; Snowball is more immediate.

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 Snowball to transfer a physical backup to AWS, then use DMS for ongoing replication.

Using AWS DMS for ongoing replication after a full load is the standard approach to minimize downtime. Snowball is suitable for large initial loads over limited bandwidth, but ongoing replication still requires DMS. Using only DMS replication may take too long for the initial load over slow bandwidth. pg_dump/pg_restore requires downtime during the dump and restore.

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 Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load and ongoing replication to keep the target in sync.
Why it's wrong here
Full load over limited bandwidth may take too long; initial load should be done offline.
✗
Use pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import to RDS, then use DMS for replication.
Why it's wrong here
pg_dump/pg_restore requires downtime; not minimal downtime.
✓
Use AWS Snowball to transfer a physical backup to AWS, then use DMS for ongoing replication.
Why this is correct
Snowball handles the large initial load offline; DMS handles ongoing changes with minimal bandwidth.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Direct Connect to increase bandwidth and then use DMS for full load and replication.
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect may not be available or may take time to provision; Snowball is more immediate.

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: Use AWS Snowball to transfer a physical backup to AWS, then use DMS for ongoing replication. — Using AWS DMS for ongoing replication after a full load is the standard approach to minimize downtime. Snowball is suitable for large initial loads over limited bandwidth, but ongoing replication still requires DMS. Using only DMS replication may take too long for the initial load over slow bandwidth. pg_dump/pg_restore requires downtime during the dump and restore.

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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

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Same concept, more angles

2 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 migrating a 50 GB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL. The network bandwidth between on-premises and AWS is 50 Mbps. The migration must complete within 24 hours. What is the most efficient way to transfer the initial data?

medium

✓ A.Use AWS Snowball to physically transfer the database backup to AWS, then load into RDS.
B.Use AWS DMS to perform a full load directly over the internet.
C.Set up a VPN connection and use AWS DMS with ongoing replication.
D.Use pg_dump to export the database and upload to S3 via the internet, then restore into RDS.

Why A: Option B is correct because sending a physical device (AWS Snowball) avoids network constraints and is faster for large data over limited bandwidth. Option A is wrong because it would take too long over 50 Mbps (50 GB ~ 2.2 hours under ideal conditions, but actual throughput may be lower and includes overhead). Option C is wrong because S3 is not a direct migration path for databases. Option D is wrong because VPN does not increase bandwidth.

Variation 2. A company is migrating a 3 TB SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. They have limited network bandwidth (100 Mbps) and need to complete the migration within 3 days. Which two approaches could meet the requirements? (Choose TWO.)

hard

A.Export the database to a flat file, compress it, and upload to S3 via the internet, then import into RDS.
B.Use AWS DataSync to transfer the database files directly to Amazon S3.
✓ C.Use AWS Snowball to physically transfer a full database backup to AWS, then restore into RDS.
✓ D.Use AWS DMS with ongoing replication to perform a full load over the internet and then continuously replicate changes until cutover.
E.Establish a VPN connection and use AWS DMS with full load only.

Why C: Options A and D are correct. AWS Snowball can transfer the backup offline, bypassing network constraints. AWS DMS with ongoing replication can use change data capture to minimize downtime after initial load. Option B is wrong because VPN does not increase bandwidth. Option C is wrong because DataSync is for file storage, not databases. Option E is wrong because direct transfer over the internet would be too slow.

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