- A
Use a single-AZ instance with automated backups to S3.
Why wrong: A single-AZ instance with automated backups to S3 requires restoring a backup, which takes longer than 1 hour, failing the RTO requirement. Also, automated backups are typically taken once per day, so RPO would exceed 5 minutes.
- B
Deploy the database in a Multi-AZ configuration.
Multi-AZ configuration provides automatic synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. Automatic failover occurs within minutes, achieving RTO < 1 hour and RPO near zero.
- C
Create a cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled.
A cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled replicates data asynchronously to another region. Continuous replication allows RPO < 5 minutes, and promoting the replica can be done in under 1 hour, meeting both objectives.
- D
Take daily manual snapshots and copy them to another region.
Why wrong: Daily manual snapshots taken and copied to another region result in an RPO of up to 24 hours, which is far greater than 5 minutes. Restoring from a snapshot also takes significant time, failing RTO.
- E
Use AWS DMS for continuous replication to a standby instance.
Why wrong: AWS DMS is designed for migration and ongoing replication but is not the native DR mechanism for RDS. It adds complexity and does not guarantee the same RTO/RPO as Multi-AZ or read replicas.
DBS-C01 Recovery Point Objective (RPO) Practice Question
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. A key principle to apply: recovery Point Objective (RPO). 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 designing a disaster recovery plan for an Amazon RDS for MySQL database. The database must have a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of less than 5 minutes and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of less than 1 hour. Which TWO actions should be taken? (Choose two.)
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
Deploy the database in a Multi-AZ configuration.
Option B (Multi-AZ configuration) provides automatic synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. In the event of a failure, automatic failover occurs within minutes, achieving an RTO of less than 1 hour and an RPO of effectively zero. Option C (cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled) replicates data asynchronously to another AWS region, allowing promotion to a standalone database for disaster recovery. With continuous replication, the RPO can be less than 5 minutes, and promotion time is typically under 1 hour, meeting both objectives. Option A is incorrect because a single-AZ instance with automated backups requires restoring from a backup, which takes longer than 1 hour, failing the RTO requirement. Option D is incorrect because daily manual snapshots have an RPO of up to 24 hours, exceeding the 5-minute requirement. Option E is incorrect because AWS DMS is primarily a migration service and is not optimized for continuous replication for DR; it adds complexity and does not provide the same RTO/RPO guarantees as native RDS replication features.
Key principle: Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
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 a single-AZ instance with automated backups to S3.
Why it's wrong here
A single-AZ instance with automated backups to S3 requires restoring a backup, which takes longer than 1 hour, failing the RTO requirement. Also, automated backups are typically taken once per day, so RPO would exceed 5 minutes.
- ✓
Deploy the database in a Multi-AZ configuration.
Why this is correct
Multi-AZ configuration provides automatic synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. Automatic failover occurs within minutes, achieving RTO < 1 hour and RPO near zero.
Related concept
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- ✓
Create a cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled.
Why this is correct
A cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled replicates data asynchronously to another region. Continuous replication allows RPO < 5 minutes, and promoting the replica can be done in under 1 hour, meeting both objectives.
Related concept
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- ✗
Take daily manual snapshots and copy them to another region.
Why it's wrong here
Daily manual snapshots taken and copied to another region result in an RPO of up to 24 hours, which is far greater than 5 minutes. Restoring from a snapshot also takes significant time, failing RTO.
- ✗
Use AWS DMS for continuous replication to a standby instance.
Why it's wrong here
AWS DMS is designed for migration and ongoing replication but is not the native DR mechanism for RDS. It adds complexity and does not guarantee the same RTO/RPO as Multi-AZ or read replicas.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
- Multi-AZ Deployment
- Cross-Region Read Replica
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
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review recovery Point Objective (RPO), then practise related DBS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy the database in a Multi-AZ configuration. — Option B (Multi-AZ configuration) provides automatic synchronous replication to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. In the event of a failure, automatic failover occurs within minutes, achieving an RTO of less than 1 hour and an RPO of effectively zero. Option C (cross-region read replica with automated backups enabled) replicates data asynchronously to another AWS region, allowing promotion to a standalone database for disaster recovery. With continuous replication, the RPO can be less than 5 minutes, and promotion time is typically under 1 hour, meeting both objectives. Option A is incorrect because a single-AZ instance with automated backups requires restoring from a backup, which takes longer than 1 hour, failing the RTO requirement. Option D is incorrect because daily manual snapshots have an RPO of up to 24 hours, exceeding the 5-minute requirement. Option E is incorrect because AWS DMS is primarily a migration service and is not optimized for continuous replication for DR; it adds complexity and does not provide the same RTO/RPO guarantees as native RDS replication features.
What should I do if I get this DBS-C01 question wrong?
Review recovery Point Objective (RPO), then practise related DBS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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