- A
Configure an RDS Multi-AZ DB cluster with a standby instance in another Region.
Why wrong: Incorrect. RDS Multi-AZ DB clusters do not support a standby instance in another Region for MySQL; cross-Region synchronous replication is not available.
- B
Use EC2 Auto Scaling to launch new instances in another Region and use an Application Load Balancer.
Why wrong: Incorrect. This addresses compute scalability but does not replicate the database, failing to meet the RPO of 5 seconds.
- C
Take automated snapshots of the RDS instance every 5 seconds and copy them to another Region.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Automated snapshots cannot be taken every 5 seconds; the minimum interval is 5 minutes, which would result in an RPO of at least 5 minutes.
- D
Deploy RDS Read Replicas in another Region and promote them during a disaster.
Correct. Cross-Region Read Replicas use asynchronous replication, typically achieving an RPO of seconds, and can be promoted to primary within minutes, meeting both RPO and RTO requirements.
SAP-C02 Cross-Region Read Replicas 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. A key principle to apply: cross-Region Read Replicas. 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 a critical application that runs on Amazon EC2 instances in a single AWS Region. The application uses an Amazon RDS for MySQL database. The company wants to achieve a recovery point objective (RPO) of 5 seconds and a recovery time objective (RTO) of 15 minutes. Which solution should the company use?
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
Deploy RDS Read Replicas in another Region and promote them during a disaster.
Cross-Region Read Replicas for Amazon RDS MySQL use asynchronous replication that typically achieves an RPO of a few seconds, meeting the 5-second requirement. Upon a disaster, the replica can be promoted to a standalone primary database, which can be completed within minutes, satisfying the 15-minute RTO. Option A is invalid because RDS Multi-AZ DB clusters do not support a standby instance in another Region for MySQL. Options B and C do not meet the RPO/RTO requirements.
Key principle: Cross-Region Read Replicas
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 RDS Multi-AZ DB cluster with a standby instance in another Region.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. RDS Multi-AZ DB clusters do not support a standby instance in another Region for MySQL; cross-Region synchronous replication is not available.
- ✗
Use EC2 Auto Scaling to launch new instances in another Region and use an Application Load Balancer.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This addresses compute scalability but does not replicate the database, failing to meet the RPO of 5 seconds.
- ✗
Take automated snapshots of the RDS instance every 5 seconds and copy them to another Region.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Automated snapshots cannot be taken every 5 seconds; the minimum interval is 5 minutes, which would result in an RPO of at least 5 minutes.
- ✓
Deploy RDS Read Replicas in another Region and promote them during a disaster.
Why this is correct
Correct. Cross-Region Read Replicas use asynchronous replication, typically achieving an RPO of seconds, and can be promoted to primary within minutes, meeting both RPO and RTO requirements.
Related concept
Cross-Region Read Replicas
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates assume Multi-AZ DB clusters support cross-Region standby instances, but Multi-AZ is limited to a single Region. They may also overlook that cross-Region Read Replicas can achieve very low RPO, but it is asynchronous.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS Multi-AZ DB cluster with a standby in another Region uses synchronous replication at the storage layer (Amazon EBS) with a quorum-based write acknowledgment, ensuring zero data loss on failover. The RTO of 15 minutes includes DNS update time and database crash recovery; in practice, failover can complete in under 2 minutes for most workloads. This configuration is distinct from a standard Multi-AZ deployment (which uses a single standby in the same Region) and requires a minimum of three DB instances in a cluster (one primary, two standbys) to support cross-Region synchronous replication.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Cross-Region Read Replicas
- Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
- Promotion of Read Replicas
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
Cross-Region Read Replicas
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review cross-Region Read Replicas, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Cross-Region Read Replicas.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy RDS Read Replicas in another Region and promote them during a disaster. — Cross-Region Read Replicas for Amazon RDS MySQL use asynchronous replication that typically achieves an RPO of a few seconds, meeting the 5-second requirement. Upon a disaster, the replica can be promoted to a standalone primary database, which can be completed within minutes, satisfying the 15-minute RTO. Option A is invalid because RDS Multi-AZ DB clusters do not support a standby instance in another Region for MySQL. Options B and C do not meet the RPO/RTO requirements.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review cross-Region Read Replicas, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Cross-Region Read Replicas
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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