SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✓

  Configure an Amazon RDS for MySQL cross-Region read replica in the secondary Region. Promote the read replica to a standalone database in the event of a regional failure.

  Why this is correct

  A cross-Region read replica uses asynchronous replication to keep a copy of the database in another Region. The replication lag is typically under a minute, satisfying the 5-minute RPO. Promotion of a read replica to a standalone instance takes only a few minutes, well within the 15-minute RTO. This is a cost-effective and reliable DR solution for RDS for MySQL, and it meets both the RPO and RTO requirements for this scenario.

• ✗

  Enable multi-AZ deployment for the RDS database and use a second standby in the secondary Region with synchronous replication.

  Why it's wrong here

  Multi-AZ deployments are within a single Region and provide high availability, not cross-Region disaster recovery. Amazon RDS does not support synchronous replication across Regions. A standby in another Region with synchronous replication is not a supported feature. This option misrepresents RDS capabilities and would not meet the RPO/RTO requirements for a regional failure.

• ✗

  Use AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) with change data capture (CDC) to continuously replicate data to an Amazon RDS for MySQL instance in the secondary Region.

  Why it's wrong here

  AWS DMS with CDC can replicate data continuously, but it adds complexity and potential points of failure. It is typically used for migrations, not for DR. The replication lag can be higher than a native cross-Region read replica, and failover would require reconfiguring the application endpoint. This solution does not provide the same simplicity and low RTO as promoting a read replica, and it may not meet the 5-minute RPO consistently.

• ✗

  Enable automated backups for the RDS database and copy the backups to the secondary Region. In the event of a failure, restore the database from the latest backup in the secondary Region.

  Why it's wrong here

  Automated backups are taken daily and transaction logs are backed up every 5 minutes, but the backup copy to another Region is not continuous. The RPO would be up to 5 minutes for the transaction logs, but the restore process can take much longer than 15 minutes, especially for large databases. This approach does not meet the RTO requirement and is not a reliable DR strategy for a critical application.

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