SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating an on-premises Microsoft SQL Server database to Amazon RDS for SQL Server. They need to minimize downtime and ensure data consistency. Which AWS service should they use 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
✓
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
(AWS DMS) is correct because it supports homogeneous migrations with minimal downtime using continuous replication. Option A (DataSync) is for file-based data. Option B (SCT) only provides schema conversion. Option D (Glue) is for ETL jobs.
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 DataSync
Why it's wrong here
DataSync transfers files and objects between storage services; it cannot replicate a live SQL Server database with transactional consistency. It suits S3, EFS or FSx migrations, whereas SQL Server requires native backup/restore or log shipping via AWS DMS or native tooling.
- ✗
AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)
Why it's wrong here
SCT converts schema and code between heterogeneous database engines; here source and target are both SQL Server, so no conversion is needed. It is correct for Oracle-to-Aurora PostgreSQL or similar engine changes. AWS DMS performs the ongoing replication that minimises downtime and maintains consistency.
- ✓
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why this is correct
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) supports heterogeneous migrations with minimal downtime using continuous replication.
- ✗
AWS Glue
Why it's wrong here
Glue is a serverless ETL service for transforming and cataloguing data between stores, not for continuous database replication with cutover. It suits analytics pipelines moving data into S3 or Redshift. AWS DMS handles ongoing change data capture from SQL Server to RDS with minimal downtime.
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 by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.