- A
Export the database as a dump file, upload to S3, and restore to RDS.
Why wrong: Uploading 2 TB over the internet is too slow for the given timeline.
- B
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load from an AWS Snowball device, then ongoing replication.
Snowball handles the initial large data transfer, and DMS provides minimal downtime replication.
- C
Use AWS DMS with full load over the internet, then ongoing replication.
Why wrong: 100 Mbps connection would take days for 2 TB, exceeding the 3-day window.
- D
Create a VPN connection to AWS and use Oracle Data Pump over the VPN.
Why wrong: VPN does not increase bandwidth; still limited by 100 Mbps internet.
Question 37 of 1,730
How to Migrate a 2TB Oracle Database to RDS with Slow Internet Using Snowball
This DBS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of management and operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle. The database is 2 TB in size and has a 100 Mbps internet connection. The migration must be completed within 3 days with minimal downtime. Which approach is MOST suitable?
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 a full load from an AWS Snowball device, then ongoing replication.
Option B is correct because the 2 TB database cannot be fully loaded over a 100 Mbps internet connection within 3 days (theoretical max transfer ~2.6 TB in 3 days, but real-world throughput is lower due to overhead and contention). AWS Snowball provides a physical appliance to transfer the full load offline, bypassing bandwidth constraints, and then AWS DMS ongoing replication captures and applies changes with minimal downtime.
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.
- ✗
Export the database as a dump file, upload to S3, and restore to RDS.
Why it's wrong here
Uploading 2 TB over the internet is too slow for the given timeline.
- ✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load from an AWS Snowball device, then ongoing replication.
Why this is correct
Snowball handles the initial large data transfer, and DMS provides minimal downtime replication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS DMS with full load over the internet, then ongoing replication.
Why it's wrong here
100 Mbps connection would take days for 2 TB, exceeding the 3-day window.
- ✗
Create a VPN connection to AWS and use Oracle Data Pump over the VPN.
Why it's wrong here
VPN does not increase bandwidth; still limited by 100 Mbps internet.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates underestimate the real-world throughput of a 100 Mbps link for a 2 TB transfer, assuming theoretical maximum speeds, and overlook the Snowball option as a viable offline data transfer method for large databases with tight timelines.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Snowball Edge can transfer up to 80 TB per device, and the offline shipment typically takes 2-3 days, aligning with the 3-day window. Once the full load is loaded into RDS, AWS DMS ongoing replication uses Oracle LogMiner or binary reader to capture changes from the source redo logs, enabling near-zero downtime cutover. The 100 Mbps connection is then only used for the small ongoing change data capture (CDC) stream, not the bulk load.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DBS-C01 question test?
Management and Operations — This question tests Management and Operations — 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 a full load from an AWS Snowball device, then ongoing replication. — Option B is correct because the 2 TB database cannot be fully loaded over a 100 Mbps internet connection within 3 days (theoretical max transfer ~2.6 TB in 3 days, but real-world throughput is lower due to overhead and contention). AWS Snowball provides a physical appliance to transfer the full load offline, bypassing bandwidth constraints, and then AWS DMS ongoing replication captures and applies changes with minimal downtime.
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 →
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 its on-premises Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle. The database is 2 TB in size and the network bandwidth is 100 Mbps. The migration must have minimal downtime. Which TWO approaches should be used together to achieve this?
medium- A.Take a full backup of the source database and restore it to Amazon RDS.
- B.Increase the network bandwidth to 1 Gbps to speed up the transfer.
- C.Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema before migration.
- ✓ D.Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication to keep the target in sync.
- ✓ E.Use AWS Snowball to transfer the initial data load to Amazon S3, then use DMS to migrate the remaining changes.
Why D: AWS DMS with ongoing replication allows continuous data replication with minimal downtime. AWS Snowball can be used for the initial large data transfer to avoid prolonged network transfer. Option A (taking a full backup and restoring) would cause downtime; Option B (increasing bandwidth) is not feasible quickly; Option C (SCT) is for schema conversion, not data migration; Option D (DMS with ongoing replication) is correct; Option E (Snowball for initial load then DMS for ongoing changes) minimizes network transfer time.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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