SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a 40 TB on-premises Oracle database to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. The database must remain fully operational during the migration, and the cutover must complete within a 30-minute maintenance window. The company requires continuous data replication until the final switchover. Which migration approach should a solutions architect recommend?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a one-time dump-and-load or an Oracle-native replication tool can provide continuous replication into Aurora PostgreSQL without a dedicated heterogeneous replication service.
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 (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication, then perform a cutover after the replication lag is near zero.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication is purpose-built for heterogeneous migrations that require minimal downtime. It reads ongoing changes from Oracle and applies them to Aurora PostgreSQL, keeping the target nearly current. When replication lag is low, the application can be switched over quickly, satisfying the 30-minute cutover requirement while the source remains fully available throughout the migration.
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 AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication, then perform a cutover after the replication lag is near zero.
Why this is correct
AWS DMS with ongoing replication continuously captures changes from the source Oracle database and applies them to Aurora PostgreSQL. This keeps the target synchronized while the source remains fully operational, enabling a short cutover once replication lag is minimal. It directly satisfies the requirement for continuous replication and a 30-minute switchover window.
- ✗
Use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the schema, then use native Oracle tools to replicate ongoing changes to Aurora PostgreSQL.
Why it's wrong here
AWS SCT converts schemas but does not replicate data or ongoing changes. Native Oracle tools such as GoldenGate can replicate to Oracle, not directly to Aurora PostgreSQL without additional transformation and custom code. This approach lacks a managed, continuous replication mechanism to Aurora PostgreSQL, making the cutover risky and unlikely to fit the maintenance window.
- ✗
Take a full export of the Oracle database using Oracle Data Pump, transfer it to Amazon S3, and import it into Aurora PostgreSQL.
Why it's wrong here
Oracle Data Pump produces a logical dump that is not directly importable into Aurora PostgreSQL; schema and data type conversions are required. This approach also necessitates taking the source database offline or into read-only mode during the export, which violates the requirement to keep the database fully operational. It cannot meet the 30-minute cutover either.
- ✗
Configure Oracle Active Data Guard to replicate to an Amazon RDS for Oracle read replica, then promote the replica and migrate to Aurora PostgreSQL.
Why it's wrong here
Active Data Guard replicates to another Oracle database, not to Aurora PostgreSQL. Although it could keep an Oracle standby in sync, the final migration to Aurora PostgreSQL would still require a separate data movement step, and promoting the Oracle replica does not convert the database engine. This adds complexity and cannot achieve the required cutover window.
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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
This SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 exam.