- A
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to migrate to Amazon RDS in a single-AZ deployment, then manually take snapshots.
Why wrong: Single-AZ RDS does not provide automatic failover; manual snapshots lead to longer downtime.
- B
Migrate the database to a single large Amazon EC2 instance using AWS Application Migration Service.
Why wrong: A single instance is a single point of failure, no high availability.
- C
Use AWS DMS to migrate the database to Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment.
DMS can perform the initial migration with minimal downtime, and RDS Multi-AZ provides synchronous standby for automatic failover, ensuring high availability.
- D
Migrate to Amazon RDS with Multi-AZ deployment and use DMS for initial load.
Why wrong: DMS is used for initial migration, but Multi-AZ provides HA; however, DMS is not needed if using native RDS restore, but this option is plausible but not the best because DMS adds complexity.
Quick Answer
The correct choice is to use AWS DMS to migrate the database to an Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment. This combination minimizes downtime because DMS performs a live migration by continuously replicating changes from the source on-premises server to the target RDS instance, allowing you to cut over with only a brief pause. Once migrated, the RDS Multi-AZ deployment provides the highest availability through automatic failover to a standby replica in a different Availability Zone, eliminating a single point of failure. On the PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to pair a migration tool with a high-availability architecture; a common trap is choosing a snapshot-based migration, which causes extended downtime, or selecting a single-AZ deployment that lacks failover. Remember the key pairing: DMS for continuous replication plus Multi-AZ for automatic failover. A useful memory tip is “DMS keeps the data flowing, Multi-AZ keeps the app going.”
PAS-C01 Migration Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of migration. 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 migrating a multi-tier application to AWS and wants to ensure high availability. The application has a web tier, application tier, and database tier. The database is currently running on a single on-premises server. Which migration strategy minimizes downtime and provides the HIGHEST availability for the database tier?
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 AWS DMS to migrate the database to Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment.
Option C is correct because AWS DMS can perform a live migration with minimal downtime by continuously replicating changes from the source database to the target Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment. Multi-AZ provides automatic failover to a standby replica in a different Availability Zone, ensuring the highest availability for the database tier. This combination minimizes downtime during migration and provides built-in high availability post-migration.
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.
- ✗
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) to migrate to Amazon RDS in a single-AZ deployment, then manually take snapshots.
Why it's wrong here
Single-AZ RDS does not provide automatic failover; manual snapshots lead to longer downtime.
- ✗
Migrate the database to a single large Amazon EC2 instance using AWS Application Migration Service.
Why it's wrong here
A single instance is a single point of failure, no high availability.
- ✓
Use AWS DMS to migrate the database to Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment.
Why this is correct
DMS can perform the initial migration with minimal downtime, and RDS Multi-AZ provides synchronous standby for automatic failover, ensuring high availability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Migrate to Amazon RDS with Multi-AZ deployment and use DMS for initial load.
Why it's wrong here
DMS is used for initial migration, but Multi-AZ provides HA; however, DMS is not needed if using native RDS restore, but this option is plausible but not the best because DMS adds complexity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think migrating to a single-AZ RDS with snapshots is sufficient for high availability, but they overlook that Multi-AZ is required for automatic failover and that DMS should be used for the migration itself, not as an afterthought.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS DMS uses change data capture (CDC) to replicate ongoing transactions from the source database to the target, allowing the source to remain operational during migration. Amazon RDS Multi-AZ automatically provisions and maintains a synchronous standby replica in a different Availability Zone; in the event of a failure, RDS automatically fails over to the standby with minimal interruption (typically 60-120 seconds). The combination of DMS for live migration and Multi-AZ for automatic failover ensures the highest availability both during and after the migration.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS DMS to migrate the database to Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment. — Option C is correct because AWS DMS can perform a live migration with minimal downtime by continuously replicating changes from the source database to the target Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment. Multi-AZ provides automatic failover to a standby replica in a different Availability Zone, ensuring the highest availability for the database tier. This combination minimizes downtime during migration and provides built-in high availability post-migration.
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
This PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 exam.
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