- A
Use AWS DMS with ongoing replication from RDS to Aurora
Why wrong: DMS can work but is not the simplest approach for MySQL to Aurora migration.
- B
Take a snapshot of the RDS instance and restore to Aurora
Why wrong: Snapshot restore requires downtime and may not capture ongoing changes.
- C
Set up native MySQL replication from the RDS Multi-AZ standby to Aurora
Why wrong: You cannot directly replicate from a Multi-AZ standby; replication must be from the primary.
- D
Create an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance, then promote it
Aurora MySQL supports creating a read replica from RDS MySQL, allowing minimal downtime.
Question 105 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Deployment and Migration Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of deployment and migration. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 500 GB database from Amazon RDS for MySQL to Amazon Aurora MySQL. The migration must be completed with minimal downtime and no data loss. The RDS instance is Multi-AZ. Which approach should be used?
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
✓
Create an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance, then promote it
Option D is correct because creating an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance uses the native MySQL binary log (binlog) replication to keep the Aurora cluster synchronized with minimal downtime. Once the replica lag reaches zero, you promote the Aurora cluster to make it the primary database, ensuring no data loss and a very short cutover window.
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 with ongoing replication from RDS to Aurora
Why it's wrong here
DMS can work but is not the simplest approach for MySQL to Aurora migration.
- ✗
Take a snapshot of the RDS instance and restore to Aurora
Why it's wrong here
Snapshot restore requires downtime and may not capture ongoing changes.
- ✗
Set up native MySQL replication from the RDS Multi-AZ standby to Aurora
Why it's wrong here
You cannot directly replicate from a Multi-AZ standby; replication must be from the primary.
- ✓
Create an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance, then promote it
Why this is correct
Aurora MySQL supports creating a read replica from RDS MySQL, allowing minimal downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume AWS DMS is always the best choice for minimal-downtime migrations, but for MySQL-to-Aurora migrations, native MySQL replication is simpler, faster, and avoids the overhead of an additional DMS instance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora MySQL read replicas use the same MySQL binlog-based replication protocol as standard MySQL, allowing them to connect to an external MySQL source (like RDS for MySQL) and replicate changes in near real-time. During promotion, Aurora applies any remaining binlog events and then converts the read replica into an independent primary cluster, which is a fast, atomic operation that typically completes in seconds. This approach is ideal for migrations where the source database is already using InnoDB and the binlog format is set to ROW, which is the default for RDS MySQL.
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: Create an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance, then promote it — Option D is correct because creating an Aurora MySQL read replica from the RDS MySQL instance uses the native MySQL binary log (binlog) replication to keep the Aurora cluster synchronized with minimal downtime. Once the replica lag reaches zero, you promote the Aurora cluster to make it the primary database, ensuring no data loss and a very short cutover window.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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