The correct answer is to implement a cross-Region Aurora Global Database and use Amazon RDS Proxy. Aurora Global Database replicates data across regions with sub-minute latency, directly satisfying the requirement for an RPO of less than 1 minute, while RDS Proxy reduces failover time by pooling and reusing database connections, enabling an RTO of under 5 minutes by quickly redirecting traffic to the promoted secondary cluster. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this pairing tests your understanding of how to combine global replication with connection management for fast recovery, a common trap being to confuse Aurora Global Database with RDS Multi-AZ or to overlook that RDS Proxy is specifically needed to handle connection draining during failover. Remember the memory tip: “Global for data, Proxy for connections” — the first ensures your data is already there, the second ensures your app can reach it instantly.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new 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 is designing a disaster recovery solution for an Amazon Aurora MySQL database. The database is currently in a single AWS Region. The company needs an RPO of less than 1 minute and an RTO of less than 5 minutes. Which TWO steps should the company take? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure an Aurora Global Database with a secondary cluster in another Region.
Options A and E are correct. A: Cross-Region Aurora Global Database provides replication with sub-minute RPO. E: RDS Proxy helps with fast failover by managing connections. Option B is for RDS, not Aurora. Option C is for RDS. Option D is for Aurora Serverless, not for global replication.
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.
✓
Configure an Aurora Global Database with a secondary cluster in another Region.
Why this is correct
Global Database provides cross-Region replication with low RPO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a read replica in another Region.
Why it's wrong here
Aurora read replicas can be cross-Region but promotion time may exceed 5 min RTO.
✓
Use Amazon RDS Proxy to reduce failover time.
Why this is correct
RDS Proxy helps applications reconnect quickly after failover, reducing RTO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Aurora Serverless auto scaling.
Why it's wrong here
Auto scaling does not provide DR.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ for the Aurora cluster.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides high availability within a Region, not cross-Region DR.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure an Aurora Global Database with a secondary cluster in another Region. — Options A and E are correct. A: Cross-Region Aurora Global Database provides replication with sub-minute RPO. E: RDS Proxy helps with fast failover by managing connections. Option B is for RDS, not Aurora. Option C is for RDS. Option D is for Aurora Serverless, not for global replication.
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.
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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
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