The correct choice is to share a snapshot of the RDS instance with each account and restore it as a read replica in the same region. This architecture minimizes cross-region data transfer costs because sharing a snapshot across accounts within the same AWS Region incurs no data transfer fees, and restoring it as a read replica allows for high-availability disaster recovery without replicating live data across regions. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of RDS snapshot sharing limitations and the cost implications of cross-region replication—a common trap is assuming a cross-region read replica is cheaper, but it actually incurs per-GB transfer costs. Remember that direct cross-account read replica access is not supported, so snapshot sharing is the only viable path. Memory tip: “Snapshots share for free in the same region; replicas across regions cost you a fee.”
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. 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 multi-account AWS environment for different business units. They need to share a central Amazon RDS database with read replicas in each account for disaster recovery. What architecture minimizes cross-region data transfer costs while maintaining high availability?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Share a snapshot of the RDS instance with each account and restore it as a read replica in the same region.
Option D is correct because sharing the RDS snapshot with each account and restoring as a read replica in the same region avoids data transfer costs. Option A is wrong because a single cross-region replica incurs data transfer costs. Option B is wrong because direct cross-account access is not supported for read replicas. Option C is wrong because a VPC endpoint does not eliminate data transfer costs for RDS replication.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 a VPC endpoint to share the database across accounts without data transfer costs.
Why it's wrong here
VPC endpoints do not eliminate data transfer costs for RDS replication.
✗
Create a cross-region read replica in the central account and grant access to other accounts.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region data transfer costs apply for replication.
✓
Share a snapshot of the RDS instance with each account and restore it as a read replica in the same region.
Why this is correct
Snapshots can be shared across accounts and restored without cross-region data transfer costs.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Create an IAM role in each account to access the central RDS instance directly.
Why it's wrong here
Direct cross-account access to RDS is not supported for read replicas.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Share a snapshot of the RDS instance with each account and restore it as a read replica in the same region. — Option D is correct because sharing the RDS snapshot with each account and restoring as a read replica in the same region avoids data transfer costs. Option A is wrong because a single cross-region replica incurs data transfer costs. Option B is wrong because direct cross-account access is not supported for read replicas. Option C is wrong because a VPC endpoint does not eliminate data transfer costs for RDS replication.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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