SOA-C02 Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation Practice Question
A SysOps administrator wants to automate the creation of an Amazon RDS MySQL instance using AWS CloudFormation. Which CloudFormation resource type should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse RDS with other database services like DynamoDB or Redshift, or incorrectly assume that a generic 'database' resource exists, when in fact each AWS database service has its own distinct CloudFormation resource type.
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::RDS::DBInstance
AWS CloudFormation uses resource types to define infrastructure components. For an Amazon RDS MySQL instance, the correct resource type is `AWS::RDS::DBInstance`, which directly maps to creating and configuring a relational database instance, including engine selection (MySQL), allocated storage, and backup settings. This resource type supports all RDS engines and is the standard way to provision RDS databases via CloudFormation. Option A is correct because `AWS::RDS::DBInstance` is the appropriate resource for creating an RDS MySQL instance. Option B is incorrect because `AWS::DynamoDB::Table` is for Amazon DynamoDB, a NoSQL database service, not a relational MySQL database. Option C is incorrect because `AWS::AppStream::DirectoryConfig` is used for Amazon AppStream 2.0 directory configuration, unrelated to RDS. Option D is incorrect because `AWS::Redshift::Cluster` is for Amazon Redshift, a data warehouse service, not a relational MySQL database.
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::RDS::DBInstance
Why this is correct
This CloudFormation resource directly creates and manages an Amazon RDS database instance, supporting engines such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, and SQL Server. You can specify the DB engine, instance class, storage, Multi-AZ configuration, and network placement in a VPC, all within the resource properties. Because the goal is to automate provisioning of an RDS database, AWS::RDS::DBInstance is the correct resource type.
- ✗
AWS::DynamoDB::Table
Why it's wrong here
This resource provisions a DynamoDB table, a fully managed NoSQL key-value and document database service. DynamoDB is not a relational database (RDBMS), so it does not provide SQL queries, joins, or traditional schema constraints expected from Amazon RDS. Using this resource would create a NoSQL table rather than a relational database instance, making it incorrect for automating RDS creation.
- ✗
AWS::AppStream::DirectoryConfig
Why it's wrong here
This resource configures directory settings for Amazon AppStream 2.0, which is a desktop application streaming service, not a database service. It is used to map AppStream fleets and stacks to Active Directory domains for authentication and user management. It has no relationship to relational databases, so it cannot create an RDS instance or any database resource.
- ✗
AWS::Redshift::Cluster
Why it's wrong here
This resource creates an Amazon Redshift cluster, a petabyte-scale data warehouse optimized for analytical queries and business intelligence. Although Redshift uses SQL, it is not a transactional relational database service like Amazon RDS and is not designed for OLTP workloads. The question asks to automate creation of an RDS database, which requires AWS::RDS::DBInstance, not a data warehouse cluster.
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 SOA-C02 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 SOA-C02 exam.