- A
Create a manual snapshot daily and retain 35 snapshots.
Why wrong: Manual snapshots provide point-in-time recovery only at snapshot times, not any point within 35 days.
- B
Set the backup retention period to 35 days.
Automated backups with a 35-day retention allow point-in-time recovery to any second within that window.
- C
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why wrong: Multi-AZ provides failover but does not extend backup retention.
- D
Configure AWS Backup with a 35-day backup plan.
Why wrong: AWS Backup can be used, but by default RDS automated backups have a retention of 1 day; the administrator needs to set it to 35 days explicitly. However, the simplest way is to adjust the backup retention period directly on the RDS instance.
Question 814 of 1,546
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 uses AWS CloudFormation to deploy a multi-tier application. The stack includes an RDS DB instance with automated backups enabled. The SysOps administrator needs to ensure that the database can be recovered to any point within the last 35 days with minimal data loss. What should the administrator do?
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
✓
Set the backup retention period to 35 days.
Automated backups in RDS allow point-in-time recovery (PITR) to any second within the backup retention period. By setting the retention period to 35 days, the administrator enables recovery to any point within that window, minimizing data loss to the last committed transaction before the restore time.
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 a manual snapshot daily and retain 35 snapshots.
Why it's wrong here
Manual snapshots provide point-in-time recovery only at snapshot times, not any point within 35 days.
- ✓
Set the backup retention period to 35 days.
Why this is correct
Automated backups with a 35-day retention allow point-in-time recovery to any second within that window.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Multi-AZ provides failover but does not extend backup retention.
- ✗
Configure AWS Backup with a 35-day backup plan.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup can be used, but by default RDS automated backups have a retention of 1 day; the administrator needs to set it to 35 days explicitly. However, the simplest way is to adjust the backup retention period directly on the RDS instance.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse manual snapshots or AWS Backup with the point-in-time recovery capability that only automated backups provide, leading them to choose options that offer only full snapshot recovery rather than granular log-based restore.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RDS automated backups use transaction logs to enable PITR; the retention period defines how long these logs are kept. When you restore to a point in time, RDS replays logs from the latest full backup to the specified second, ensuring minimal data loss. The maximum retention period for automated backups is 35 days, which directly aligns with the requirement.
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.
- →
Reliability and Business Continuity — study guide chapter
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Reliability and Business Continuity practice questions
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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: Set the backup retention period to 35 days. — Automated backups in RDS allow point-in-time recovery (PITR) to any second within the backup retention period. By setting the retention period to 35 days, the administrator enables recovery to any point within that window, minimizing data loss to the last committed transaction before the restore time.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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