This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. 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 uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy infrastructure. The development team wants to update a stack that includes an Amazon RDS database. The update requires changing the DB instance class, which will cause a brief downtime. The team wants to minimize downtime by creating a new database instance before deleting the old one. Which CloudFormation stack update policy should be used?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' set to true.
Option D is correct because the 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' update policy directs CloudFormation to create a new resource (in this case, an RDS DB instance) before deleting the old one, enabling a rolling replacement that minimizes downtime. This policy is specifically designed for resources that support replacement updates, allowing the new instance to be provisioned and traffic shifted before the old instance is terminated.
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 a 'DeletionPolicy' attribute set to 'Delete' for the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
This would delete the database without creating a new one first, causing data loss.
✗
Use a 'DeletionPolicy' attribute set to 'Snapshot' for the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
This takes a snapshot before deletion, but does not create a new instance before deleting the old one; downtime still occurs.
✗
Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'UseOnlineResharding' set to true.
Why it's wrong here
'UseOnlineResharding' is used for ElastiCache, not RDS.
✓
Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' set to true.
Why this is correct
For resources that support replacement updates, this policy creates a new resource before deleting the old one, minimizing 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.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'DeletionPolicy' (which only governs deletion behavior) with update policies, or mistakenly apply ElastiCache-specific policies like 'UseOnlineResharding' to RDS, not realizing that 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' is the correct mechanism for replacing resources during a CloudFormation stack update.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' works by setting the 'WillReplace' property to 'true' on the resource, causing CloudFormation to create a replacement resource with a new physical ID, update dependent resources (like DNS or security groups) to point to the new resource, and then delete the old resource. This is distinct from a simple 'Update' which modifies the resource in-place and can cause downtime. In real-world scenarios, this policy is critical for stateful resources like RDS where in-place modifications (e.g., changing DB instance class) require a reboot, but a replacement can be done with minimal impact by using a read replica or DNS cutover.
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.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use an 'UpdatePolicy' attribute with 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' set to true. — Option D is correct because the 'AutoScalingReplacingUpdate' update policy directs CloudFormation to create a new resource (in this case, an RDS DB instance) before deleting the old one, enabling a rolling replacement that minimizes downtime. This policy is specifically designed for resources that support replacement updates, allowing the new instance to be provisioned and traffic shifted before the old instance is terminated.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 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.
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Question Discussion
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