SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a multi-tier web application to AWS. The application uses a commercial database that requires a license. The company wants to reduce licensing costs. Which migration strategy should be considered?
⚠ Common exam trap
SAP-C02 often tests the misconception that any migration to AWS automatically reduces licensing costs, but only strategies that change the database engine to open-source or use managed services without commercial licenses achieve that goal.
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
✓
Replatform the database to Amazon RDS for an open-source engine like PostgreSQL
Replatforming to Amazon RDS for an open-source engine like PostgreSQL eliminates the commercial database license cost because PostgreSQL is open-source and RDS is a managed service. This aligns with the goal of reducing licensing costs while minimizing application changes. The company can still use a relational database with similar capabilities, avoiding the need for a full refactor or repurchase.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rehost the database to EC2 with the same database software
Why it's wrong here
Rehosting preserves the commercial database and its licence, so licensing spend continues unchanged; only infrastructure cost shifts. It suits lift-and-shift migrations where minimal modification and speed matter, not licence reduction. Repurchasing or refactoring to an open-source or managed engine removes the licence fee.
- ✓
Replatform the database to Amazon RDS for an open-source engine like PostgreSQL
Why this is correct
Replatforming swaps the licensed commercial engine for Amazon RDS PostgreSQL, eliminating per-core licence fees while retaining managed backups, patching and Multi-AZ. This satisfies the cost-reduction goal without the re-architecting effort of refactoring the application's data layer.
- ✗
Repurchase a Software as a Service (SaaS) alternative
Why it's wrong here
Repurchasing replaces the application with a SaaS product, which eliminates the database licence but demands re-architecting the multi-tier application and migrating data to a vendor platform. It fits organisations willing to abandon custom code for a hosted equivalent, not a lift-and-shift migration seeking licence savings.
- ✗
Refactor the application to use Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
Refactoring to DynamoDB rewrites the application's data layer and schema, a substantial development effort beyond a migration strategy for reducing licence cost. It suits greenfield or cloud-native redesigns where relational constraints can be dropped, not a commercial database being migrated largely intact.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 984 original SAP-C02 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.