The answer is AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full-load task to S3. DMS is purpose-built to extract data from a MySQL database to Amazon S3 without impacting source performance because it uses a replication instance to read the source transaction logs rather than querying the live tables directly, allowing you to perform a daily full load within a 2-hour window on a 500 GB database without adding overhead. On the AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty MLS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of data ingestion patterns that preserve source integrity, a common scenario when building ML pipelines; the trap is confusing DMS with AWS Glue, which can also connect to JDBC sources but may cause higher source overhead since it runs Spark jobs that query the database directly. Remember the memory tip: DMS stands for “Don’t Mess with Source” because it reads logs, not tables.
MLS-C01 Data Engineering Practice Question
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. 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 data engineer needs to load data from a MySQL database to Amazon S3 daily. The database is 500 GB and the load window is 2 hours. The data must be extracted without impacting the source database performance. Which AWS service should be used to perform the extraction?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with a full-load task to S3.
Option D is correct because AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) can perform continuous or scheduled full-load and change-data-capture tasks from MySQL to S3 without impacting source performance when using appropriate task settings and replication instance. Option A is wrong because Amazon Athena is a query service, not an extraction tool. Option B is wrong because AWS Glue can connect to JDBC sources but may cause higher overhead on the source; DMS is purpose-built. Option C is wrong because Amazon EMR is for big data processing, not direct extraction from MySQL to S3.
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.
✗
AWS Glue ETL job using a JDBC connection to read the full table.
Why it's wrong here
Glue can extract data but may impact source performance; DMS is more efficient for large datasets.
✓
AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with a full-load task to S3.
Why this is correct
DMS is designed for minimal impact migration and can load data directly to S3.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Amazon Athena with the MySQL federated query connector.
Why it's wrong here
Athena is for querying data in S3, not for extracting from MySQL.
✗
Amazon EMR with a Spark job reading from MySQL via JDBC.
Why it's wrong here
EMR is for processing, not a managed data extraction service.
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
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which MLS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Engineering — This question tests Data Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with a full-load task to S3. — Option D is correct because AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) can perform continuous or scheduled full-load and change-data-capture tasks from MySQL to S3 without impacting source performance when using appropriate task settings and replication instance. Option A is wrong because Amazon Athena is a query service, not an extraction tool. Option B is wrong because AWS Glue can connect to JDBC sources but may cause higher overhead on the source; DMS is purpose-built. Option C is wrong because Amazon EMR is for big data processing, not direct extraction from MySQL to S3.
What should I do if I get this MLS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which MLS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This MLS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the MLS-C01 exam.
Question Discussion
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