- A
Create an Aurora cross-Region read replica in us-west-2. Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication from the source bucket to a destination bucket in us-west-2. During DR, promote the read replica to a primary cluster and update DNS.
A cross-Region read replica provides continuous replication for the database, achieving RPO seconds. Promoting it can be done in minutes, meeting RTO of 1 hour. S3 CRR replicates objects asynchronously, typically within minutes, satisfying the RPO.
- B
Take a manual snapshot of the Aurora DB cluster every 15 minutes and copy it to us-west-2. Use S3 batch operations to copy assets to us-west-2 daily.
Why wrong: Manual snapshots every 15 minutes are not feasible due to the time and cost. Copying snapshots cross-Region adds delay, and RPO may exceed 15 minutes. Daily S3 copies do not meet the RPO.
- C
Enable Aurora Multi-AZ in us-east-1 and configure S3 transfer acceleration to us-west-2.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ provides high availability within a single Region, not cross-Region DR. S3 Transfer Acceleration improves upload speeds but does not replicate data automatically.
- D
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for continuous replication to a DB instance in us-west-2. Use S3 versioning to keep previous object versions.
Why wrong: DMS can be used but adds complexity and cost. Aurora read replicas are simpler and purpose-built for cross-Region replication. S3 versioning does not replicate to another Region; it only keeps versions in the same bucket.
SOA-C02 Reliability and Business Continuity Practice Question
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of reliability and business continuity. 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 hosts a critical web application on Amazon EC2 instances in a single AWS Region (us-east-1). The SysOps administrator needs to implement a Disaster Recovery (DR) solution using a different AWS Region (us-west-2). The DR plan requires a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 1 hour and a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes. The application uses an Amazon Aurora MySQL DB cluster and static assets stored in an Amazon S3 bucket. Which combination of actions should the administrator take to meet 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
Create an Aurora cross-Region read replica in us-west-2. Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication from the source bucket to a destination bucket in us-west-2. During DR, promote the read replica to a primary cluster and update DNS.
Option A is correct because Aurora cross-Region read replicas provide asynchronous replication with an RPO typically under 1 second, easily meeting the 15-minute RPO requirement. Promoting the read replica to a primary cluster in us-west-2 can be completed within minutes, satisfying the 1-hour RTO. S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) automatically replicates static assets to the destination bucket in us-west-2 with near-real-time latency, ensuring the S3 data is also current within the RPO window.
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.
- ✓
Create an Aurora cross-Region read replica in us-west-2. Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication from the source bucket to a destination bucket in us-west-2. During DR, promote the read replica to a primary cluster and update DNS.
Why this is correct
A cross-Region read replica provides continuous replication for the database, achieving RPO seconds. Promoting it can be done in minutes, meeting RTO of 1 hour. S3 CRR replicates objects asynchronously, typically within minutes, satisfying the RPO.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Take a manual snapshot of the Aurora DB cluster every 15 minutes and copy it to us-west-2. Use S3 batch operations to copy assets to us-west-2 daily.
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots every 15 minutes are not feasible due to the time and cost. Copying snapshots cross-Region adds delay, and RPO may exceed 15 minutes. Daily S3 copies do not meet the RPO.
- ✗
Enable Aurora Multi-AZ in us-east-1 and configure S3 transfer acceleration to us-west-2.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides high availability within a single Region, not cross-Region DR. S3 Transfer Acceleration improves upload speeds but does not replicate data automatically.
- ✗
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for continuous replication to a DB instance in us-west-2. Use S3 versioning to keep previous object versions.
Why it's wrong here
DMS can be used but adds complexity and cost. Aurora read replicas are simpler and purpose-built for cross-Region replication. S3 versioning does not replicate to another Region; it only keeps versions in the same bucket.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Multi-AZ (which provides high availability within a single region) with cross-region disaster recovery, or they assume manual snapshots and DMS are simpler alternatives without considering the RPO/RTO constraints and operational overhead.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Aurora cross-Region read replicas use the cluster volume’s built-in replication mechanism, which asynchronously replicates data at the storage layer with minimal impact on the primary cluster. The promotion process is a fast metadata operation that makes the read replica writable without requiring a full data restore. S3 CRR uses S3’s internal replication engine to copy objects to a destination bucket in a different region, with replication typically completing within 15 minutes for most objects, aligning with the RPO target.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Reliability and Business Continuity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Reliability and Business Continuity — This question tests Reliability and Business Continuity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an Aurora cross-Region read replica in us-west-2. Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication from the source bucket to a destination bucket in us-west-2. During DR, promote the read replica to a primary cluster and update DNS. — Option A is correct because Aurora cross-Region read replicas provide asynchronous replication with an RPO typically under 1 second, easily meeting the 15-minute RPO requirement. Promoting the read replica to a primary cluster in us-west-2 can be completed within minutes, satisfying the 1-hour RTO. S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) automatically replicates static assets to the destination bucket in us-west-2 with near-real-time latency, ensuring the S3 data is also current within the RPO window.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 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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