The answer is to create a snapshot of the RDS instance, copy the snapshot with encryption enabled, and then restore it to an Aurora cluster. This is the most efficient approach because encryption at rest is a property of the snapshot itself—you cannot enable it on an existing unencrypted RDS instance or directly restore an unencrypted snapshot into an encrypted Aurora cluster. On the AWS Certified Database Specialty DBS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of snapshot encryption propagation and the limitations of direct migration methods; a common trap is assuming you can create an encrypted Aurora read replica from an unencrypted source, which is not supported. Remember the key constraint: encryption must be applied at the snapshot copy stage, not during the restore. A useful memory tip is “snapshot copy encrypts, restore inherits”—the encryption flag is set only when copying the snapshot, and the restored cluster automatically inherits that setting.
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
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.
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A company wants to migrate this RDS MySQL instance to an Aurora MySQL cluster with encryption at rest. What is the most efficient approach?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a snapshot of the RDS instance, copy the snapshot with encryption, then restore to an Aurora cluster.
Option D is correct because creating a snapshot, copying it with encryption, and restoring to Aurora is the most efficient. Option A is wrong because DMS is not needed for a simple migration. Option B is wrong because you cannot directly restore an unencrypted snapshot to Aurora. Option C is wrong because creating an Aurora replica from an encrypted instance is not possible.
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 DMS to migrate the database to an encrypted Aurora cluster.
Why it's wrong here
DMS is an option but less efficient than a snapshot-based approach.
✓
Create a snapshot of the RDS instance, copy the snapshot with encryption, then restore to an Aurora cluster.
Why this is correct
Copying the snapshot enables encryption, then restoring to Aurora creates an encrypted cluster.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a snapshot of the RDS instance and restore it directly to an Aurora cluster.
Why it's wrong here
The snapshot is unencrypted; Aurora requires encryption to be enabled at cluster creation.
✗
Create an encrypted read replica in Aurora and promote it.
Why it's wrong here
You cannot create an encrypted Aurora replica from an unencrypted RDS instance.
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 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.
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.
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: Create a snapshot of the RDS instance, copy the snapshot with encryption, then restore to an Aurora cluster. — Option D is correct because creating a snapshot, copying it with encryption, and restoring to Aurora is the most efficient. Option A is wrong because DMS is not needed for a simple migration. Option B is wrong because you cannot directly restore an unencrypted snapshot to Aurora. Option C is wrong because creating an Aurora replica from an encrypted instance is not possible.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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