SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a legacy monolithic application to AWS. The application consists of a web tier and a backend that uses a Microsoft SQL Server database. The company wants to modernize the application by decoupling the database from the application and moving to a managed database service. The migration must minimize downtime and ensure data consistency. Which strategy should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a simple backup and restore is sufficient, but it causes downtime and does not handle ongoing changes, which is critical for minimal downtime.
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 to migrate the SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, then refactor the application to use the RDS endpoint.
AWS DMS with ongoing replication is the best strategy because it enables continuous data synchronization from the on-premises SQL Server to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, minimizing downtime and ensuring data consistency. It allows the application to be refactored to use the managed database endpoint after cutover. Other methods either cause downtime or do not support database migration effectively.
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 native SQL Server backup and restore to move the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, scheduling a maintenance window for the cutover.
Why it's wrong here
Native backup and restore requires taking the database offline during the backup and restore process, leading to significant downtime. It does not support ongoing replication, so any changes made after the backup would be lost. This approach does not meet the requirement to minimize downtime and ensure data consistency during migration.
- ✗
Use AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) to replicate the entire server, including the SQL Server database, to Amazon EC2, then migrate the database to RDS using native backup and restore.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is deprecated and not recommended for new migrations. Even if it were available, replicating the entire server does not decouple the database from the application. This approach would not modernize the architecture and would involve more downtime during the subsequent database migration to RDS.
- ✗
Use AWS DataSync to copy the SQL Server database files to Amazon S3, then use AWS Glue to load the data into Amazon RDS for SQL Server.
Why it's wrong here
AWS DataSync is for file transfers, not for database migration. Copying database files while the database is running would result in inconsistent data. AWS Glue is an ETL service, not a database migration tool, and cannot handle transactional consistency. This approach would not minimize downtime or ensure data consistency.
- ✓
Use AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with ongoing replication to migrate the SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, then refactor the application to use the RDS endpoint.
Why this is correct
AWS DMS with ongoing replication allows continuous data replication from the on-premises SQL Server to Amazon RDS for SQL Server, minimizing downtime during cutover. After the initial full load, change data capture keeps the target in sync until the application is ready to switch. This approach ensures data consistency and supports modernization by moving to a managed database service.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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.