Multi-Region DR for RDS MySQL: Achieving RPO 5 Seconds and RTO 1 Minute
A company is designing a multi-region disaster recovery solution for a critical application. The application uses Amazon RDS for MySQL with Multi-AZ in the primary region. The recovery point objective (RPO) is 5 seconds, and the recovery time objective (RTO) is 1 minute. Which solution meets these requirements?
Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon Aurora Global Database because it is the only AWS service that can achieve a multi-region disaster recovery RPO of 5 seconds and an RTO of 1 minute for RDS MySQL. Aurora Global Database uses storage-level replication that typically lags under one second, and promoting a secondary region cluster completes failover in about one minute, bypassing the replication lag and manual promotion delays of cross-region read replicas or DMS-based replication. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the strict latency and failover requirements that rule out standard RDS Multi-AZ or cross-region replicas, which cannot meet a sub-second RPO or a one-minute RTO across regions. A common trap is assuming that RDS Multi-AZ in the primary region plus a cross-region read replica can achieve this, but that setup incurs asynchronous replication lag and a longer promotion time. Memory tip: “Global Aurora glides under a second and fails over in a minute.”
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume a cross-region read replica (Option A) can meet a 5-second RPO because MySQL replication is 'near real-time,' but in practice, replication lag is unpredictable and often exceeds 5 seconds, especially during peak loads or network issues.
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 Aurora Global Database with a primary instance in the primary region and one secondary in the secondary region.
Amazon Aurora Global Database is the only solution that can achieve an RPO of 5 seconds and an RTO of 1 minute for a multi-region disaster recovery setup. It uses storage-based replication with typical latency under 1 second, and failover to a secondary region can be completed in about 1 minute by promoting the secondary cluster. Aurora Global Database also avoids the replication lag and promotion delays inherent in cross-region read replicas or DMS-based replication.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create an RDS MySQL cross-region read replica in the secondary region and promote it during a disaster.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region read replicas have asynchronous replication with RPO potentially >5 seconds.
- ✗
Take manual snapshots of the RDS instance every 5 seconds and copy them to the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots are not feasible every 5 seconds and have high RTO.
- ✗
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to continuously replicate to a database in the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
DMS is for migration, not optimized for DR with such low RPO/RTO.
- ✓
Use Amazon Aurora Global Database with a primary instance in the primary region and one secondary in the secondary region.
Why this is correct
Aurora Global Database provides low-latency replication and fast failover.
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Same concept, more angles
3 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 designing a disaster recovery solution for a critical database using Amazon RDS Multi-AZ. However, they also need to protect against regional failures. Which additional AWS service should they use?
hard- A.RDS Multi-AZ in the same region
- ✓ B.RDS Cross-Region Read Replicas
- C.Amazon S3
- D.AWS Database Migration Service
Why B: RDS Multi-AZ provides high availability within a single region by synchronously replicating data to a standby instance in a different Availability Zone. To protect against a regional failure, you need a cross-region disaster recovery solution. RDS Cross-Region Read Replicas asynchronously replicate data to a different AWS Region, allowing you to promote the replica to a standalone primary database in the event of a regional outage.
Variation 2. A company is designing a multi-region disaster recovery solution for a critical application using Amazon RDS for MySQL. They need a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of less than 5 seconds and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of less than 1 minute. Which solution should they choose?
hard- ✓ A.Use Amazon RDS with cross-Region read replicas and promote the replica to a primary instance in a disaster.
- B.Use Amazon Aurora Global Database.
- C.Use Amazon RDS with automated backups and restore in another Region.
- D.Use Amazon RDS Multi-AZ with a standby in a different AWS Region.
Why A: Amazon RDS for MySQL cross-Region read replicas use asynchronous replication with a typical lag of less than 5 seconds, meeting the RPO requirement. In a disaster, you promote the replica to a standalone primary instance, which takes under 1 minute, satisfying the RTO. This is the only option that provides both sub-5-second RPO and sub-1-minute RTO for RDS MySQL.
Variation 3. A company is designing a new multi-region disaster recovery solution for a critical database. The database runs on Amazon RDS for MySQL in us-east-1. The recovery point objective (RPO) is 1 second, and the recovery time objective (RTO) is 1 minute. Which strategy meets these requirements?
hard- A.Single-AZ RDS instance with cross-Region snapshot copy
- B.Multi-AZ RDS instance in us-east-1
- ✓ C.Multi-AZ RDS instance with a cross-Region read replica in us-west-2
- D.Amazon Aurora Global Database
Why C: A Multi-AZ RDS instance with a cross-Region read replica in us-west-2 can achieve an RPO of 1 second and an RTO of 1 minute. The cross-Region read replica uses asynchronous replication with a typical lag of less than 1 second, meeting the RPO. For RTO, you can promote the read replica to a standalone instance in under a minute, and the Multi-AZ configuration in the primary region ensures high availability during the promotion process.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.