- A
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load task to migrate the data.
Why wrong: A full load task without CDC will cause downtime because changes made during the migration will be lost.
- B
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing replication (CDC) task to keep the target in sync until cutover.
Full load plus CDC provides continuous replication, minimizing downtime. Cutover is quick and rollback is possible by stopping replication.
- C
Use mysqldump to export the database, transfer the dump via AWS Direct Connect, and import into Aurora MySQL.
Why wrong: mysqldump requires taking the application offline during the export to ensure consistency, causing downtime.
- D
Use the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema, then set up an Aurora Replica from the on-premises source using native MySQL replication.
Why wrong: Native MySQL replication to Aurora is not supported from on-premises; it requires an Amazon RDS MySQL instance as a source.
Quick Answer
The correct approach is to use AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema, then AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with a full load and ongoing change data capture (CDC) task to keep the target synchronized until cutover. This method is ideal because CDC captures incremental changes from the high-write activity MySQL source after the initial full load, enabling continuous replication that minimizes downtime to seconds during cutover while preserving the ability to roll back by simply stopping replication and reverting to the on-premises database. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of heterogeneous migrations with near-zero downtime requirements—a common trap is choosing a snapshot-based approach (like using AWS Backup or RDS read replicas) which cannot handle ongoing writes or rollback. Remember the key pairing: SCT for schema conversion, DMS for data movement, and CDC for continuous sync. Memory tip: “SCT the structure, DMS the data, CDC the changes.”
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 retail company is migrating its on-premises e-commerce platform to AWS. The platform consists of a load-balanced web tier, an application tier, and a MySQL database. The company wants to modernize the database by migrating to Amazon Aurora MySQL. The migration must have minimal downtime and support rollback. The database is 2 TB in size and has high write activity. The company has set up an AWS Direct Connect connection. Which approach should the company take to migrate the database with minimal downtime?
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 SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing replication (CDC) task to keep the target in sync until cutover.
Option B is correct because AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing change data capture (CDC) task enables continuous replication of high-write activity from the on-premises MySQL database to Amazon Aurora MySQL, minimizing downtime by keeping the target synchronized until cutover. The CDC component captures incremental changes after the full load, allowing a near-zero downtime migration with the ability to roll back by stopping replication and reverting to the source.
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 SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load task to migrate the data.
Why it's wrong here
A full load task without CDC will cause downtime because changes made during the migration will be lost.
- ✓
Use AWS SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing replication (CDC) task to keep the target in sync until cutover.
Why this is correct
Full load plus CDC provides continuous replication, minimizing downtime. Cutover is quick and rollback is possible by stopping replication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use mysqldump to export the database, transfer the dump via AWS Direct Connect, and import into Aurora MySQL.
Why it's wrong here
mysqldump requires taking the application offline during the export to ensure consistency, causing downtime.
- ✗
Use the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) to convert the schema, then set up an Aurora Replica from the on-premises source using native MySQL replication.
Why it's wrong here
Native MySQL replication to Aurora is not supported from on-premises; it requires an Amazon RDS MySQL instance as a source.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume native MySQL replication (Option D) is the simplest approach, but AWS DMS is the recommended managed service for heterogeneous or homogeneous migrations with minimal downtime, as it handles schema conversion, ongoing replication, and rollback seamlessly.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS CDC uses the MySQL binary log (binlog) to capture row-level changes in near real-time, enabling continuous synchronization without locking the source database. The full load phase creates a consistent snapshot using table-level parallelism, while the CDC phase applies transactions in the order they occurred, ensuring ACID compliance. For a 2 TB database with high write activity, DMS can be configured with multiple tasks and optimized endpoint settings (e.g., ParallelApplyThreads) to reduce latency during replication.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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
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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 SCT to convert the schema, then use AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing replication (CDC) task to keep the target in sync until cutover. — Option B is correct because AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing change data capture (CDC) task enables continuous replication of high-write activity from the on-premises MySQL database to Amazon Aurora MySQL, minimizing downtime by keeping the target synchronized until cutover. The CDC component captures incremental changes after the full load, allowing a near-zero downtime migration with the ability to roll back by stopping replication and reverting to the source.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SAP-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is migrating a large-scale e-commerce platform from on-premises to AWS. The migration plan includes rehosting the application servers and replatforming the database to Amazon Aurora. The company needs to ensure minimal downtime during the cutover. Which strategy should the company use for the database migration?
medium- ✓ A.Use AWS DMS with a full load and ongoing replication to keep the target synchronized
- B.Use AWS DMS with a full load only, then cut over
- C.Use an application-level dual-write to both databases during the cutover
- D.Take a snapshot of the on-premises database and restore it to Amazon Aurora
Why A: AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication allows continuous data sync, enabling a cutover with minimal downtime. Using a snapshot backup requires downtime for restoration. AWS DMS with full load only does not keep the target up-to-date. Using an application-level dual-write is complex and error-prone.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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