- A
Use AWS CloudTrail to capture database events.
Why wrong: CloudTrail captures API calls, not DML.
- B
Enable Oracle Flashback and store the flashback logs.
Why wrong: Flashback is for point-in-time recovery, not auditing.
- C
Install Oracle Audit Vault on the RDS instance.
Why wrong: Audit Vault is not supported on RDS.
- D
Use AWS DMS with change data capture (CDC) to stream changes to Amazon S3.
DMS CDC captures DML changes and can write to S3.
Question 865 of 1,730
DBS-C01 Workload-Specific Database Design Practice Question
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of workload-specific database design. 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 runs an Oracle database on Amazon RDS. The database is used by multiple applications, and the company needs to capture all data modification language (DML) changes for auditing. Which solution 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
✓
Use AWS DMS with change data capture (CDC) to stream changes to Amazon S3.
AWS DMS with change data capture (CDC) can continuously capture DML changes from an Oracle RDS instance and stream them to Amazon S3 in a format such as Parquet or CSV. This provides a durable, queryable audit trail of all data modifications without requiring additional Oracle licensing or impacting database performance. CloudTrail captures API-level events, not DML changes, and Oracle Flashback and Audit Vault are not fully supported or manageable on Amazon RDS.
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 CloudTrail to capture database events.
Why it's wrong here
CloudTrail captures API calls, not DML.
- ✗
Enable Oracle Flashback and store the flashback logs.
Why it's wrong here
Flashback is for point-in-time recovery, not auditing.
- ✗
Install Oracle Audit Vault on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Audit Vault is not supported on RDS.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS with change data capture (CDC) to stream changes to Amazon S3.
Why this is correct
DMS CDC captures DML changes and can write to S3.
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 confuse AWS CloudTrail (API auditing) with database-level DML auditing, or assume that Oracle-specific features like Flashback or Audit Vault are fully functional on RDS, when in fact RDS restricts OS and software installation, making DMS CDC the only viable managed solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS CDC works by reading the Oracle redo logs (via LogMiner or binary reader) to capture committed transactions in near real time, then writing them to a target such as S3 in an ordered, transactional format. This approach can handle high-volume DML streams with minimal latency, and the S3 output can be further processed by services like Athena or Glue for audit analysis. A subtle behavior is that DMS CDC requires supplemental logging to be enabled on the Oracle source to ensure all column values are captured for UPDATE and DELETE operations.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Workload-Specific Database Design — This question tests Workload-Specific Database Design — 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 change data capture (CDC) to stream changes to Amazon S3. — AWS DMS with change data capture (CDC) can continuously capture DML changes from an Oracle RDS instance and stream them to Amazon S3 in a format such as Parquet or CSV. This provides a durable, queryable audit trail of all data modifications without requiring additional Oracle licensing or impacting database performance. CloudTrail captures API-level events, not DML changes, and Oracle Flashback and Audit Vault are not fully supported or manageable on Amazon RDS.
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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