- A
Configure a cross-Region read replica for the RDS MySQL DB instance in the secondary Region
A cross-Region read replica can be promoted to a primary in seconds, meeting the RPO of 1 minute.
- B
Create Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) of the EC2 instances and copy them to the secondary Region
Pre-copied AMIs enable quick launch of EC2 instances in the DR Region, helping meet the RTO.
- C
Use Amazon EBS snapshots of the EC2 instances and copy them to the secondary Region every minute
Why wrong: EBS snapshots are not designed for minute-level frequency and cannot achieve an RPO of 1 minute.
- D
Migrate the database to Amazon Aurora MySQL and configure an Aurora Global Database
Why wrong: Aurora Global Database is a different service; the company uses RDS MySQL, and migrating would be more complex.
- E
Enable cross-Region automated backups for the RDS Multi-AZ DB instance
Why wrong: Automated backups are for point-in-time recovery, not for low RPO replication; they are typically scheduled every 5 minutes.
Quick Answer
The answer is a cross-Region RDS MySQL read replica combined with AMIs copied to the secondary Region. For disaster recovery for RDS MySQL with low RPO and RTO, the read replica provides asynchronous replication with lag typically under one minute, meeting the 1-minute RPO, and can be promoted to a standalone primary in minutes, satisfying the 15-minute RTO. The AMIs ensure the compute tier can be launched quickly in the secondary Region from the copied images. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of managed DR patterns versus backup-and-restore approaches—a common trap is choosing snapshot restore, which takes too long for a 15-minute RTO. Remember that read replicas are for low-latency DR, not backups; think “replica for recovery, AMI for compute” to avoid the trap of relying solely on automated backups.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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 (DR) strategy for a critical application that runs on EC2 instances in a single AWS Region. The application uses an Amazon RDS MySQL Multi-AZ DB instance. The company wants to achieve a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 1 minute and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 15 minutes for both compute and database tiers. Which TWO options should the company implement? (Choose TWO.)
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 a cross-Region read replica for the RDS MySQL DB instance in the secondary Region
Option A is correct because a cross-Region read replica for RDS MySQL can be promoted to a standalone primary in the secondary Region within minutes, meeting the 15-minute RTO. The asynchronous replication lag is typically under 1 minute, satisfying the 1-minute RPO. This provides a managed, low-latency DR database tier without needing to restore from backups.
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 a cross-Region read replica for the RDS MySQL DB instance in the secondary Region
Why this is correct
A cross-Region read replica can be promoted to a primary in seconds, meeting the RPO of 1 minute.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) of the EC2 instances and copy them to the secondary Region
Why this is correct
Pre-copied AMIs enable quick launch of EC2 instances in the DR Region, helping meet the RTO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon EBS snapshots of the EC2 instances and copy them to the secondary Region every minute
Why it's wrong here
EBS snapshots are not designed for minute-level frequency and cannot achieve an RPO of 1 minute.
- ✗
Migrate the database to Amazon Aurora MySQL and configure an Aurora Global Database
Why it's wrong here
Aurora Global Database is a different service; the company uses RDS MySQL, and migrating would be more complex.
- ✗
Enable cross-Region automated backups for the RDS Multi-AZ DB instance
Why it's wrong here
Automated backups are for point-in-time recovery, not for low RPO replication; they are typically scheduled every 5 minutes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse cross-Region automated backups (Option E) with cross-Region read replicas, not realizing that backups have a higher RPO and longer restore times, while read replicas provide near-real-time replication and faster promotion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cross-Region read replicas use MySQL's native asynchronous replication, where the replica applies changes from the source's binary log (binlog). The replication lag depends on network latency and write volume; for RDS, lag is usually sub-second to a few seconds under normal conditions. Promoting a read replica to a standalone instance involves a simple API call (e.g., `promote-read-replica`) and typically completes in under 5 minutes, making it suitable for aggressive RTOs. The AMI copy process (Option B) is also valid: you can create an AMI from a running EC2 instance, copy it to another Region, and launch instances from it; the time to copy and launch can be under 15 minutes if the AMI is small and pre-staged.
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.
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
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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a cross-Region read replica for the RDS MySQL DB instance in the secondary Region — Option A is correct because a cross-Region read replica for RDS MySQL can be promoted to a standalone primary in the secondary Region within minutes, meeting the 15-minute RTO. The asynchronous replication lag is typically under 1 minute, satisfying the 1-minute RPO. This provides a managed, low-latency DR database tier without needing to restore from backups.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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