SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is modernizing a monolithic application by decomposing it into microservices. The application currently uses a single MySQL database. The company wants to use a polyglot persistence approach, with different microservices using the most appropriate database type. The team has limited experience with NoSQL databases. Which strategy should the team use to minimize risk during the migration?
⚠ Common exam trap
SAP-C02 often tests the misconception that a full rewrite or lift-and-shift is faster, but the exam expects you to prioritize risk reduction and incremental modernization, especially when teams lack experience with new technologies.
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 the strangler fig pattern to incrementally replace parts of the monolith with microservices, starting with a non-critical function
The strangler fig pattern allows incremental migration by routing specific functionality to new microservices while the monolith continues to serve the rest. Starting with a non-critical function reduces risk because failures are contained and the team can gain NoSQL experience without impacting core business operations. This approach aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework's guidance on evolutionary architectures and minimizes blast radius during modernization.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rewrite the entire application as microservices using a new database for each service from the start
Why it's wrong here
Rewriting everything with new databases from the start maximises risk: the team has limited NoSQL experience, and a big-bang cutover removes any rollback path. This suits teams already fluent in the target databases with mature automation, not a risk-minimising first migration.
- ✓
Use the strangler fig pattern to incrementally replace parts of the monolith with microservices, starting with a non-critical function
Why this is correct
The strangler fig pattern routes traffic incrementally to new microservices while the monolith keeps running, so the team can adopt unfamiliar NoSQL stores one bounded, non-critical function at a time and roll back easily, directly minimising migration risk.
- ✗
Migrate the entire monolith to a containerized application on Amazon ECS in one go
Why it's wrong here
Containerising the monolith on Amazon ECS changes packaging and hosting, not the shared MySQL schema, so services stay coupled to one data store and no polyglot persistence is achieved. Lift-and-shift containerisation suits reducing host management overhead, not decomposing data ownership.
- ✗
Use AWS DMS to replicate the monolith's database to multiple target databases simultaneously
Why it's wrong here
AWS DMS replicates data but does not decompose the monolith or route each microservice to its own store, so services still share one schema and remain coupled. Continuous replication suits migrations where the target engine is already chosen and downtime must be minimised, not polyglot decomposition.
Quick reference
AAA Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port(s) | Encryption | Transport | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | 1812 / 1813 | Password only | UDP | Network access control |
| TACACS+ | 49 | Full packet | TCP | Device administration |
| Diameter | 3868 | Full session | TCP / SCTP | Carrier / mobile networks |
| 802.1X | — | EAP-based | Layer 2 | Port-based access control |
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.
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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.