- A
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication.
AWS DMS can perform a full load followed by continuous replication to keep the target in sync, minimizing downtime.
- B
Copy database files to Amazon S3, then restore to RDS using native restore.
Why wrong: RDS does not support native restore from S3 for MySQL; this is not a valid option.
- C
Use mysqldump to export the database and import it into RDS.
Why wrong: mysqldump is a logical backup tool, but for a 2 TB database with limited bandwidth, it would be slow and cause significant downtime.
- D
Use AWS Server Migration Service to migrate the database server.
Why wrong: AWS SMS is for server-level migration, not database-level.
Question 771 of 1,730
Migrating MySQL to RDS with AWS DMS for Minimal Downtime
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 an on-premises MySQL database to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The database is 2 TB in size and the network bandwidth is 100 Mbps. The company needs to minimize downtime. Which migration strategy should be used?
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.
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 Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication is the correct strategy because it allows you to perform a full load of the 2 TB database while simultaneously capturing ongoing changes from the source MySQL binlog. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover with only a brief pause to ensure replication lag is zero, rather than requiring a long period of application downtime for a full export and import.
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 ongoing replication.
Why this is correct
AWS DMS can perform a full load followed by continuous replication to keep the target in sync, minimizing downtime.
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.
- ✗
Copy database files to Amazon S3, then restore to RDS using native restore.
Why it's wrong here
RDS does not support native restore from S3 for MySQL; this is not a valid option.
- ✗
Use mysqldump to export the database and import it into RDS.
Why it's wrong here
mysqldump is a logical backup tool, but for a 2 TB database with limited bandwidth, it would be slow and cause significant downtime.
- ✗
Use AWS Server Migration Service to migrate the database server.
Why it's wrong here
AWS SMS is for server-level migration, not database-level.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose mysqldump (Option C) because it is a familiar tool, but they overlook the fact that for a 2 TB database over a 100 Mbps link, the export and import would take over 48 hours, causing excessive downtime, whereas DMS with ongoing replication allows near-zero downtime by performing the bulk load first and then syncing changes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses the MySQL binary log (binlog) for ongoing replication, reading log events in row-based format to capture INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations without locking tables. For a 2 TB database, the initial full load can be parallelized using multiple DMS tasks or table-level parallelism, and the ongoing replication can handle high-volume transactional workloads with minimal latency. In real-world scenarios, you must ensure that the source MySQL server has binlog retention set appropriately (e.g., binlog_expire_logs_seconds) to avoid log purging before DMS has processed the changes.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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Deployment and Migration — study guide chapter
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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 Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication. — AWS DMS with ongoing replication is the correct strategy because it allows you to perform a full load of the 2 TB database while simultaneously capturing ongoing changes from the source MySQL binlog. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover with only a brief pause to ensure replication lag is zero, rather than requiring a long period of application downtime for a full export and import.
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.
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
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
1 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 an on-premises MySQL database to Amazon RDS for MySQL. The database is 500 GB in size and has a 24-hour maintenance window. Which AWS service or tool should be used for the initial data transfer with minimal downtime?
easy- A.Amazon S3 with AWS Glue
- B.AWS Snowball Edge
- ✓ C.AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
- D.mysqldump and restore to RDS
Why C: AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) is the correct choice because it supports ongoing replication from a source MySQL database to Amazon RDS for MySQL, allowing you to perform a full load followed by continuous change data capture (CDC) to minimize downtime. With a 500 GB database and a 24-hour maintenance window, DMS can complete the initial load and then keep the target in sync until you cut over, achieving near-zero downtime.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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