PAS-C01 AWS Backup Practice Question
A company is running SAP Business Suite on AWS with a Microsoft SQL Server database. The operations team needs to implement automated database backups with point-in-time recovery. Which AWS service should be used to achieve this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse AWS Backup with Amazon RDS for SQL Server. RDS is a managed service for databases that do not require EC2, while AWS Backup supports SQL Server on EC2.
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
✓
AWS Backup
AWS Backup (option B) is the correct service for automated database backups with point-in-time recovery for SQL Server running on EC2. It supports SQL Server databases on EC2 and provides automated backup scheduling and point-in-time recovery capabilities. Option A (AWS Storage Gateway) is for hybrid cloud storage, not database backup. Option C (AWS DMS) is for database migration, not backup. Option D (Amazon RDS for SQL Server) is a managed database service, but since the SQL Server is on EC2, RDS does not apply.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Storage Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Storage Gateway provides file/volume interfaces to S3, not database backup automation.
- ✓
AWS Backup
Why this is correct
AWS Backup can automate backups of SQL Server on EC2 with point-in-time recovery.
- ✗
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why it's wrong here
DMS is for migrating databases, not for ongoing backup.
- ✗
Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Why it's wrong here
RDS is a managed service; the SQL Server is running on EC2, not RDS.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.