- A
Create a VPC peering connection between the on-premises network and the DMS VPC.
Why wrong: VPC peering is for VPC-to-VPC; for on-premises, use VPN or Direct Connect.
- B
Install the DMS agent on the source SQL Server instance.
Why wrong: DMS uses a replication instance in AWS, not an agent on the source.
- C
Enable MS-CDC (change data capture) on the source database.
DMS uses CDC to capture ongoing changes from SQL Server.
- D
Configure MS-Replication on the source database.
Why wrong: DMS does not use MS-Replication; it uses native CDC capabilities.
- E
Ensure the source database is using the full recovery model.
Full recovery model is needed to capture all transactions for ongoing replication.
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.
Which TWO steps are required when migrating an on-premises Microsoft SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server using AWS DMS with ongoing replication?
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
Enable MS-CDC (change data capture) on the source database.
Option C is correct because AWS DMS requires MS-CDC (change data capture) to be enabled on the source SQL Server database when using ongoing replication (change data capture). CDC captures insert, update, and delete activity from the transaction log, allowing DMS to apply those changes to the target RDS for SQL Server instance without requiring full table reloads.
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 a VPC peering connection between the on-premises network and the DMS VPC.
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering is for VPC-to-VPC; for on-premises, use VPN or Direct Connect.
- ✗
Install the DMS agent on the source SQL Server instance.
Why it's wrong here
DMS uses a replication instance in AWS, not an agent on the source.
- ✓
Enable MS-CDC (change data capture) on the source database.
Why this is correct
DMS uses CDC to capture ongoing changes from SQL Server.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure MS-Replication on the source database.
Why it's wrong here
DMS does not use MS-Replication; it uses native CDC capabilities.
- ✓
Ensure the source database is using the full recovery model.
Why this is correct
Full recovery model is needed to capture all transactions for ongoing replication.
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 often confuse MS-CDC with MS-Replication, assuming DMS requires replication agents or topology, when in fact DMS uses native CDC or log-based capture without setting up replication.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MS-CDC works by reading the transaction log and populating change tables in a dedicated CDC schema; DMS uses the `sys.fn_cdc_get_all_changes_...` functions to stream changes. The full recovery model (Option E) is also required because CDC and log-based replication depend on the transaction log not being truncated by simple recovery mode, ensuring all committed transactions are available for capture.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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?
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: Enable MS-CDC (change data capture) on the source database. — Option C is correct because AWS DMS requires MS-CDC (change data capture) to be enabled on the source SQL Server database when using ongoing replication (change data capture). CDC captures insert, update, and delete activity from the transaction log, allowing DMS to apply those changes to the target RDS for SQL Server instance without requiring full table reloads.
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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