- A
Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Linux instances and use Amazon Aurora with PostgreSQL compatibility
Why wrong: Switching to Linux and PostgreSQL would require extensive code changes and does not support SQL Server.
- B
Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances and the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server
This minimizes changes and reduces database overhead and licensing costs through RDS.
- C
Containerize the application on Amazon ECS with Windows containers and use Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Why wrong: Containerization adds complexity and may not reduce licensing costs significantly.
- D
Migrate the application to AWS Elastic Beanstalk for Windows and the database to Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why wrong: Changing database engine to MySQL would require significant application changes.
Quick Answer
The answer is to migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances and the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. This combination directly addresses the goal to reduce licensing costs and operational overhead by lifting and shifting the .NET application onto EC2 with minimal code changes, while offloading SQL Server database management to RDS, which handles patching, backups, and reduces per-core licensing complexity compared to self-managed SQL Server. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance cost optimization with minimal refactoring for legacy Windows workloads that rely on Active Directory and proprietary authentication—traps include suggesting Aurora or RDS for MySQL, which would break SQL Server compatibility, or Windows containers, which require significant containerization effort. Remember the memory tip: “Lift the app, shift the DB” to keep licensing low and overhead gone.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. 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 is migrating a legacy Windows-based .NET application to AWS. The application uses a SQL Server database and a proprietary authentication mechanism that relies on Active Directory. The company wants to reduce operational overhead and licensing costs. Which combination of AWS services should the architect recommend for the migration?
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
Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances and the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Using EC2 for the application (lift-and-shift) and RDS for SQL Server reduces overhead from database management and licensing. Moving to RDS for MySQL would require code changes for compatibility. Moving to Windows containers would require containerization effort. Moving to Aurora would not support SQL Server.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Linux instances and use Amazon Aurora with PostgreSQL compatibility
Why it's wrong here
Switching to Linux and PostgreSQL would require extensive code changes and does not support SQL Server.
- ✓
Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances and the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Why this is correct
This minimizes changes and reduces database overhead and licensing costs through RDS.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Containerize the application on Amazon ECS with Windows containers and use Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Why it's wrong here
Containerization adds complexity and may not reduce licensing costs significantly.
- ✗
Migrate the application to AWS Elastic Beanstalk for Windows and the database to Amazon RDS for MySQL
Why it's wrong here
Changing database engine to MySQL would require significant application changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
- →
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — study guide chapter
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Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Migrate the application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances and the database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server — Using EC2 for the application (lift-and-shift) and RDS for SQL Server reduces overhead from database management and licensing. Moving to RDS for MySQL would require code changes for compatibility. Moving to Windows containers would require containerization effort. Moving to Aurora would not support SQL Server.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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