- A
Use AWS Snowball to transfer the historical data to Amazon S3, then use AWS DMS with ongoing CDC to replicate incremental changes until cutover
Correct. Snowball handles large historical data transfer efficiently, and DMS CDC keeps the target updated with minimal downtime.
- B
Use an ETL tool to extract data from the source and load directly into Amazon Redshift during a maintenance window
Why wrong: This approach requires a long maintenance window and does not minimize downtime.
- C
Perform a full export of the on-premises database to flat files, transfer them over the network, and load into Amazon Redshift
Why wrong: Full export/transfer over the network for 30 TB is slow and requires downtime.
- D
Use AWS DMS with full load only, then schedule a downtime window for the final sync
Why wrong: Without CDC, changes after the full load are lost, requiring a longer downtime window.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use AWS Snowball for the initial 30 TB historical data transfer to Amazon S3, combined with AWS DMS using ongoing Change Data Capture (CDC) to replicate the daily 10 GB incremental updates until cutover. This approach is correct because it separates the bulk load of large historical data from the live synchronization of changes, allowing the on-premises warehouse to remain operational throughout the migration. Snowball efficiently handles the massive offline transfer without saturating network bandwidth, while DMS with CDC captures and applies ongoing transactions to Amazon Redshift, ensuring data consistency with minimal downtime. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to architect a zero-downtime migration for large-scale data warehouses, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose a single tool like DMS alone or a full export/import that requires extended downtime. The key memory tip is “Snowball for the big ball, DMS for the small drip”—the bulk history goes via physical device, and the incremental stream flows through CDC.
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 its data warehouse from on-premises to Amazon Redshift. The current on-premises data warehouse runs on a proprietary MPP system. The company wants to minimize downtime and ensure data consistency. The company has a large volume of historical data (30 TB) and daily incremental updates of 10 GB. Which migration approach should the company use?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 Snowball to transfer the historical data to Amazon S3, then use AWS DMS with ongoing CDC to replicate incremental changes until cutover
Using AWS DMS with CDC for incremental data allows zero-downtime migration by keeping the target in sync. A bulk export/import approach requires downtime for the final load. Using Snowball for historical data and DMS for incremental updates is efficient for large datasets.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 Snowball to transfer the historical data to Amazon S3, then use AWS DMS with ongoing CDC to replicate incremental changes until cutover
Why this is correct
Correct. Snowball handles large historical data transfer efficiently, and DMS CDC keeps the target updated with minimal downtime.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use an ETL tool to extract data from the source and load directly into Amazon Redshift during a maintenance window
Why it's wrong here
This approach requires a long maintenance window and does not minimize downtime.
- ✗
Perform a full export of the on-premises database to flat files, transfer them over the network, and load into Amazon Redshift
Why it's wrong here
Full export/transfer over the network for 30 TB is slow and requires downtime.
- ✗
Use AWS DMS with full load only, then schedule a downtime window for the final sync
Why it's wrong here
Without CDC, changes after the full load are lost, requiring a longer downtime window.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS Snowball to transfer the historical data to Amazon S3, then use AWS DMS with ongoing CDC to replicate incremental changes until cutover — Using AWS DMS with CDC for incremental data allows zero-downtime migration by keeping the target in sync. A bulk export/import approach requires downtime for the final load. Using Snowball for historical data and DMS for incremental updates is efficient for large datasets.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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