- A
Enable audit logs on RDS and use Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose to stream logs to Amazon S3. Use Amazon Athena to query the logs.
Why wrong: Kinesis Data Firehose is for streaming, but audit logs are not real-time; also adds complexity.
- B
Configure RDS to publish audit logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, then export logs to Amazon S3 using a subscription filter and Lambda. Use Athena to query the logs in S3.
CloudWatch Logs provides durable storage, export to S3 for cost-effective long-term storage, and Athena enables querying.
- C
Enable the general query log on RDS and set the log_output to TABLE. Write a scheduled script to copy the log table to Amazon S3.
Why wrong: General query log is lost on reboot and storing logs in a table consumes database storage.
- D
Enable audit logs on RDS and stream them to Amazon CloudWatch Logs. Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to query logs.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs can be expensive for large volumes and Insights query costs can add up.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure RDS to publish audit logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, then export them to Amazon S3 using a subscription filter and Lambda, and query the logs with Athena. This solution provides durable audit log storage for RDS MySQL with Athena query because it decouples log retention from the database instance—logs are streamed to CloudWatch Logs in real time, then automatically landed in S3 for cost-effective, long-term storage, while Athena enables serverless SQL queries directly against the S3 data. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to architect a HIPAA-compliant audit trail that avoids ephemeral local storage and expensive CloudWatch Logs Insights queries for large historical datasets. A common trap is assuming RDS can export logs directly to S3, which it cannot, or choosing CloudWatch Logs alone for ad-hoc querying, which becomes costly at scale. Memory tip: think "Stream to Watch, Land in S3, Query with Athena" for durable, queryable audit logs.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 healthcare startup is building a HIPAA-compliant application on AWS. The application uses Amazon RDS for MySQL to store patient data. The compliance team requires that all database changes be audited, including SELECT statements. The current solution enables general query logs on the RDS instance, but the logs are stored locally and are lost when the instance is rebooted. Additionally, the logs are consuming significant storage on the instance. The startup needs a durable, scalable, and cost-effective solution for storing and querying database audit logs. Which solution meets these requirements?
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
Configure RDS to publish audit logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, then export logs to Amazon S3 using a subscription filter and Lambda. Use Athena to query the logs in S3.
Option C is correct because it provides durable, scalable, and cost-effective storage for audit logs with the ability to query using Athena. Option A: Storing logs in CloudWatch Logs is scalable but querying can be expensive for large volumes; also CloudWatch Logs is not the best for long-term ad-hoc queries. Option B: S3 with Athena is cost-effective for querying, but Kinesis Data Firehose is not the best for real-time streaming; also adding a Lambda adds complexity. Option D: RDS for MySQL does not support exporting logs directly to S3; also the logs are lost on reboot.
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.
- ✗
Enable audit logs on RDS and use Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose to stream logs to Amazon S3. Use Amazon Athena to query the logs.
Why it's wrong here
Kinesis Data Firehose is for streaming, but audit logs are not real-time; also adds complexity.
- ✓
Configure RDS to publish audit logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, then export logs to Amazon S3 using a subscription filter and Lambda. Use Athena to query the logs in S3.
Why this is correct
CloudWatch Logs provides durable storage, export to S3 for cost-effective long-term storage, and Athena enables querying.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Enable the general query log on RDS and set the log_output to TABLE. Write a scheduled script to copy the log table to Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
General query log is lost on reboot and storing logs in a table consumes database storage.
- ✗
Enable audit logs on RDS and stream them to Amazon CloudWatch Logs. Use CloudWatch Logs Insights to query logs.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs can be expensive for large volumes and Insights query costs can add up.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure RDS to publish audit logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, then export logs to Amazon S3 using a subscription filter and Lambda. Use Athena to query the logs in S3. — Option C is correct because it provides durable, scalable, and cost-effective storage for audit logs with the ability to query using Athena. Option A: Storing logs in CloudWatch Logs is scalable but querying can be expensive for large volumes; also CloudWatch Logs is not the best for long-term ad-hoc queries. Option B: S3 with Athena is cost-effective for querying, but Kinesis Data Firehose is not the best for real-time streaming; also adding a Lambda adds complexity. Option D: RDS for MySQL does not support exporting logs directly to S3; also the logs are lost on reboot.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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