- A
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Supports automatic scaling for compute and storage.
- B
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: Manual scaling only.
- C
Amazon DynamoDB
Why wrong: NoSQL, not MySQL-compatible.
- D
Amazon Redshift
Why wrong: Data warehouse, not MySQL-compatible.
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 deploying a new application that requires a MySQL-compatible database with automatic scaling of compute and storage resources. Which AWS service 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
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Amazon Aurora MySQL is the correct choice because it is a MySQL-compatible relational database that automatically scales compute (up to 128 vCPUs and 244 GiB of memory) and storage (up to 128 TiB in 10 GiB increments) without downtime. Aurora's storage subsystem is distributed and self-healing, scaling as data grows, and its compute can be scaled via Auto Scaling policies or by modifying the instance class with minimal disruption.
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.
- ✓
Amazon Aurora MySQL
Why this is correct
Supports automatic scaling for compute and storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Manual scaling only.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
NoSQL, not MySQL-compatible.
- ✗
Amazon Redshift
Why it's wrong here
Data warehouse, not MySQL-compatible.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Amazon RDS for MySQL with Aurora MySQL, assuming both offer automatic scaling, but RDS requires manual scaling of compute and storage, while Aurora provides true automatic scaling for both.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora's storage architecture decouples compute from storage, using a 6-replica quorum across three Availability Zones, allowing storage to scale automatically as data is written without impacting performance. The Aurora Auto Scaling feature can add reader instances based on CPU or connection metrics, while the storage layer grows in 10 GiB increments up to 128 TiB, all transparent to the application. In a real-world scenario, a high-traffic e-commerce application can handle sudden spikes by automatically adding read replicas and scaling storage without manual intervention, unlike RDS for MySQL which requires manual resizing and potential downtime.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
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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: Amazon Aurora MySQL — Amazon Aurora MySQL is the correct choice because it is a MySQL-compatible relational database that automatically scales compute (up to 128 vCPUs and 244 GiB of memory) and storage (up to 128 TiB in 10 GiB increments) without downtime. Aurora's storage subsystem is distributed and self-healing, scaling as data grows, and its compute can be scaled via Auto Scaling policies or by modifying the instance class with minimal disruption.
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 →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
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