- A
Use Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment in the primary Region with a standby in another Region.
Multi-AZ with cross-Region standby provides automatic failover with RTO of 1-2 minutes and synchronous replication with RPO of 1 second (for Aurora). Note: For RDS MySQL, cross-Region Multi-AZ is not supported; but Aurora Global Database is the correct service.
- B
Take manual snapshots of the RDS instance every hour and copy them to another Region.
Why wrong: RPO of 1 hour does not meet 1 second requirement.
- C
Use Amazon Aurora Global Database with a primary in one Region and a secondary in another Region.
Aurora Global Database has RPO of 1 second and RTO of 1 minute.
- D
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for continuous replication to another Region.
Why wrong: DMS replication has higher RTO due to validation and cutover.
- E
Configure cross-Region read replicas for RDS MySQL.
Why wrong: Manual promotion of read replica takes longer than 1 minute.
Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon Aurora Global Database, which meets both a 1-second RPO and 1-minute RTO for cross-region disaster recovery. This works because Aurora Global Database uses a dedicated, storage-level replication channel that keeps the secondary region less than one second behind the primary, enabling automatic failover with no data loss. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the critical distinction between Aurora Global Database and standard cross-Region read replicas—the latter require manual promotion, pushing RTO well past one minute. A common trap is assuming any cross-Region replica can achieve sub-minute RTO, but only Aurora’s managed global cluster provides the automatic, fast failover needed. Remember the mnemonic “Global for Glacial RTO”—if the requirement demands near-zero RPO and sub-minute RTO, Aurora Global Database is the only RDS-native solution that fits.
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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 runs a critical application on Amazon RDS for MySQL. They want to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy across AWS Regions with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 1 second and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 1 minute. Which TWO strategies meet these requirements? (Choose TWO.)
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 Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment in the primary Region with a standby in another Region.
Option A is correct because a Global Database with standby in another Region provides near-zero RPO and automatic failover. Option D is correct because Multi-Region Aurora Global Database also meets RPO and RTO. Option B is wrong because cross-Region read replicas have RTO > 1 minute (manual promotion). Option C is wrong because RTO is too long. Option E is wrong because RPO is too high.
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 Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment in the primary Region with a standby in another Region.
Why this is correct
Multi-AZ with cross-Region standby provides automatic failover with RTO of 1-2 minutes and synchronous replication with RPO of 1 second (for Aurora). Note: For RDS MySQL, cross-Region Multi-AZ is not supported; but Aurora Global Database is the correct service.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Take manual snapshots of the RDS instance every hour and copy them to another Region.
Why it's wrong here
RPO of 1 hour does not meet 1 second requirement.
- ✓
Use Amazon Aurora Global Database with a primary in one Region and a secondary in another Region.
Why this is correct
Aurora Global Database has RPO of 1 second and RTO of 1 minute.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for continuous replication to another Region.
Why it's wrong here
DMS replication has higher RTO due to validation and cutover.
- ✗
Configure cross-Region read replicas for RDS MySQL.
Why it's wrong here
Manual promotion of read replica takes longer than 1 minute.
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.
- →
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SAP-C02 questions
1,746 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SAP-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SAP-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity.
Design for New Solutions practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Design for New Solutions.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions.
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization.
SAA-C03 VPC practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC.
SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 S3 lifecycle policy questions.
SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 RDS Multi-AZ questions.
SAA-C03 IAM policy practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 IAM policy.
SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 Route 53 failover questions.
SAA-C03 CloudFront practice questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 CloudFront.
SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 NAT gateway questions.
SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions
Practise SAP-C02 questions linked to SAA-C03 VPC endpoint questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free SAP-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment in the primary Region with a standby in another Region. — Option A is correct because a Global Database with standby in another Region provides near-zero RPO and automatic failover. Option D is correct because Multi-Region Aurora Global Database also meets RPO and RTO. Option B is wrong because cross-Region read replicas have RTO > 1 minute (manual promotion). Option C is wrong because RTO is too long. Option E is wrong because RPO is too high.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More SAP-C02 practice questions
- Match each AWS compute service to its use case.
- A company is designing a new microservices architecture on AWS. They need a solution for service discovery that allows s…
- A company has a centralized logging account and multiple application accounts. All VPC Flow Logs are sent to a central S…
- A company is implementing AWS Control Tower to manage a multi-account environment. The security team needs to ensure tha…
- A company is designing a cross-account network architecture. The security team requires that all traffic between VPCs in…
- A company is using AWS Organizations with multiple accounts. The central IT team wants to deploy a set of common VPCs in…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.