- A
Create multiple Aurora Replicas for read scaling during migration.
Why wrong: Replicas are for performance, not migration process.
- B
Perform a homogeneous migration directly from Oracle to Aurora.
Why wrong: Oracle to PostgreSQL is heterogeneous.
- C
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync.
Ongoing replication reduces downtime.
- D
Use AWS DMS data validation to compare source and target data.
Data validation ensures consistency.
- E
Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the Oracle schema to PostgreSQL.
SCT is needed for heterogeneous migration.
Question 1,610 of 1,730
Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL Migration
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 is migrating a large Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. They need to minimize downtime and validate data consistency after migration. Which THREE steps should they include in their migration plan? (Choose THREE.)
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 to keep the target in sync.
Option C is correct because AWS DMS supports ongoing replication (change data capture) from Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL, allowing the target database to stay synchronized with the source during the migration. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover after the initial load, rather than requiring a full outage for the entire migration.
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.
- ✗
Create multiple Aurora Replicas for read scaling during migration.
Why it's wrong here
Replicas are for performance, not migration process.
- ✗
Perform a homogeneous migration directly from Oracle to Aurora.
Why it's wrong here
Oracle to PostgreSQL is heterogeneous.
- ✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync.
Why this is correct
Ongoing replication reduces 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.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS data validation to compare source and target data.
Why this is correct
Data validation ensures consistency.
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.
- ✓
Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the Oracle schema to PostgreSQL.
Why this is correct
SCT is needed for heterogeneous migration.
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.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse read replicas (Option A) as a migration tool, or mistakenly think a homogeneous migration (Option B) applies to cross-engine migrations, when in fact heterogeneous migrations require schema conversion and DMS for data transfer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses Oracle LogMiner or binary reader to capture changes from Oracle redo logs for ongoing replication, ensuring near-real-time synchronization. The data validation feature in DMS performs row-level comparisons using checksums, which can be resource-intensive on large tables; it is recommended to run validation during low-traffic periods or on a subset of data to avoid performance impact.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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 Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync. — Option C is correct because AWS DMS supports ongoing replication (change data capture) from Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL, allowing the target database to stay synchronized with the source during the migration. This minimizes downtime by enabling a cutover after the initial load, rather than requiring a full outage for the entire migration.
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
4 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 a 3 TB Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database has a heavy OLTP workload with many small transactions. The migration must have minimal downtime. Which TWO strategies should the company use? (Choose two.)
hard- A.Convert the database to Amazon Aurora MySQL instead.
- B.Create an Aurora read replica from the Oracle database.
- ✓ C.Use AWS DMS with ongoing replication to capture and apply changes.
- D.Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema.
- ✓ E.Set the target database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL.
Why C: AWS DMS with ongoing replication (CDC) is the correct strategy because it allows continuous capture and application of changes from the source Oracle database to the target Aurora PostgreSQL, enabling minimal downtime during migration. The heavy OLTP workload with many small transactions is well-suited for DMS's change data capture, which can handle high-volume transactional changes efficiently.
Variation 2. A financial services company is migrating its Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database runs a critical batch processing job every night that updates millions of rows. The company needs the migration to minimize downtime and ensure data integrity. Which AWS service should the database specialist use to perform the migration?
easy- ✓ A.AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication from Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL
- B.AWS Data Pipeline to export data from Oracle and import into Aurora PostgreSQL
- C.AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the schema and then use native PostgreSQL tools to migrate data
- D.AWS Glue to extract data from Oracle and load into Aurora PostgreSQL
Why A: AWS DMS with ongoing replication (change data capture, CDC) is the correct choice because it enables a near-zero-downtime migration by continuously replicating changes from the source Oracle database to the target Aurora PostgreSQL while the source remains fully operational. After the initial full load, DMS applies ongoing transactions, allowing you to cut over with minimal interruption. This directly addresses the requirement to minimize downtime for the nightly batch job and ensures data integrity through transactional consistency.
Variation 3. A company is migrating an on-premises Oracle OLTP database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database has a complex schema with stored procedures, triggers, and sequences. During the migration, the team notices that the conversion tool reports several incompatibilities. Which strategy should the team use to handle the database schema changes with minimal downtime?
medium- A.Deploy Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with Babelfish to run Oracle PL/SQL code natively.
- ✓ B.Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema and migrate data, then handle remaining incompatibilities during a cutover window.
- C.Use pg_dump and pg_restore to migrate the schema, and then test and fix any errors.
- D.Manually rewrite all stored procedures and triggers to PostgreSQL syntax before migration.
Why B: Option B is correct because AWS DMS with SCT is the recommended approach for heterogeneous migrations like Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL. SCT converts the schema (including stored procedures, triggers, and sequences) and identifies incompatibilities, while DMS handles ongoing replication to minimize downtime. The remaining incompatibilities can be resolved during a planned cutover window, which is the standard strategy for complex schema migrations with minimal downtime.
Variation 4. A company is migrating an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database is used for a financial application that requires complex joins and transactions. Which migration strategy is MOST appropriate?
medium- A.Use AWS DMS with native Oracle to PostgreSQL endpoint
- B.Use Oracle GoldenGate to replicate data to Aurora PostgreSQL
- ✓ C.Use AWS SCT to convert the schema and AWS DMS to migrate data
- D.Use pg_dump to export the Oracle database and restore to Aurora PostgreSQL
Why C: Option C is correct because AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) is required to convert the Oracle schema (including complex joins and transaction logic) to a PostgreSQL-compatible format, and AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) performs the ongoing data migration with minimal downtime. This combination handles both schema transformation and data replication for heterogeneous migrations, which is essential for a financial application with complex joins and transactions.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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