- A
Use Database Migration Service (DMS) with validation only.
Why wrong: Validation does not migrate data.
- B
Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication, then perform a cutover.
Ongoing replication allows a fast cutover.
- C
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and then use pg_dump/pg_restore.
Why wrong: pg_dump/pg_restore for 5 TB will exceed 30 minutes.
- D
Set up an Aurora read replica from the source PostgreSQL.
Why wrong: Aurora cannot replicate from external PostgreSQL.
Question 1,193 of 1,730
Minimizing Downtime in PostgreSQL to Aurora PostgreSQL Migration with AWS DMS
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 5 TB PostgreSQL database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database has complex stored procedures and triggers. The migration must be completed within a 30-minute downtime window. Which approach would meet the requirement?
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 DMS with full load and ongoing replication, then perform a cutover.
AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication allows you to migrate the 5 TB database with minimal downtime by continuously replicating changes from the source PostgreSQL to the target Aurora PostgreSQL. When you are ready, you perform a cutover, which typically takes only a few minutes, meeting the 30-minute downtime window. The complex stored procedures and triggers are handled because DMS supports ongoing replication for PostgreSQL, capturing DML and DDL changes.
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 Database Migration Service (DMS) with validation only.
Why it's wrong here
Validation does not migrate data.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication, then perform a cutover.
Why this is correct
Ongoing replication allows a fast cutover.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and then use pg_dump/pg_restore.
Why it's wrong here
pg_dump/pg_restore for 5 TB will exceed 30 minutes.
- ✗
Set up an Aurora read replica from the source PostgreSQL.
Why it's wrong here
Aurora cannot replicate from external PostgreSQL.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a full dump and restore (pg_dump/pg_restore) is the fastest method for large databases, but they overlook the need for ongoing replication to achieve a short downtime window, and they may incorrectly think Aurora read replicas can be created from external PostgreSQL sources.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses a change data capture (CDC) mechanism that reads the PostgreSQL write-ahead logs (WAL) to capture ongoing changes, enabling near-real-time replication. During the full load phase, DMS creates tables and loads data in parallel, and once the full load completes, it applies cached changes from the CDC to keep the target consistent. The cutover involves stopping writes to the source, allowing DMS to apply any remaining changes, and then redirecting applications to the Aurora target, which typically completes within minutes.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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 DMS with full load and ongoing replication, then perform a cutover. — AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication allows you to migrate the 5 TB database with minimal downtime by continuously replicating changes from the source PostgreSQL to the target Aurora PostgreSQL. When you are ready, you perform a cutover, which typically takes only a few minutes, meeting the 30-minute downtime window. The complex stored procedures and triggers are handled because DMS supports ongoing replication for PostgreSQL, capturing DML and DDL changes.
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
3 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 3 TB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. They need to minimize downtime and ensure that the migration is completed within a maintenance window. Which approach should they use?
medium- ✓ A.Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC)
- B.Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and then migrate data
- C.Use pg_dump to export the database and pg_restore to import into Aurora
- D.Take a file system snapshot and restore to Aurora
Why A: AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication (CDC) is the correct approach because it allows you to perform an initial full load of the 3 TB database while continuously capturing changes from the source PostgreSQL using logical replication (via the pglogical extension or native slot-based replication). This minimizes downtime by keeping the target Aurora PostgreSQL nearly synchronized, and you can switch over during a maintenance window with only a brief outage to apply any final lag.
Variation 2. A company is migrating a 500 GB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The migration must have a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than 5 minutes and a recovery time objective (RTO) of less than 30 minutes. Which migration strategy should the company use?
hard- A.Create a read replica of the on-premises database and promote it.
- ✓ B.Use AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication.
- C.Take a full backup using pg_basebackup and restore to Aurora.
- D.Use pg_dump to export the database and import into Aurora.
Why B: AWS DMS with full load and ongoing replication is the correct strategy because it supports continuous change data capture (CDC) from the on-premises PostgreSQL source to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, enabling an RPO of less than 5 minutes. The full load phase migrates the initial 500 GB, and ongoing replication keeps the target synchronized with minimal lag, while Aurora’s automated failover and fast recovery help achieve an RTO under 30 minutes.
Variation 3. A company is migrating a 500 GB PostgreSQL database from on-premises to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. They need to minimize downtime and ensure that all data changes made during migration are synchronized. Which three components are required for this migration? (Choose THREE.)
medium- ✓ A.AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) replication instance
- B.AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)
- ✓ C.Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL cluster as the target
- ✓ D.Source PostgreSQL database configured with logical replication
- E.AWS VPN connection between on-premises and AWS
Why A: AWS DMS replication instance is required because it orchestrates the continuous replication of data from the source PostgreSQL database to the target Aurora PostgreSQL cluster. It manages the connection, reads changes from the source using logical replication slots, and applies them to the target, enabling near-zero downtime migration.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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