This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 legacy database that relies on a specific hardware security module (HSM) that cannot be moved to the cloud. The application must continue to function with minimal redevelopment. Which migration strategy is most appropriate?
Refactor
Why wrong: Refactor requires significant code changes to use cloud-native database features.
Replace
Replace uses a cloud-native database service, eliminating the HSM dependency.
Rehost
Why wrong: Rehost would retain the HSM dependency, which is not supported in the cloud.
Rebuild
Why wrong: Rebuild involves completely rewriting the application, which is more effort.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Replace
The correct answer is B (Replace) because the legacy database depends on a specific hardware security module (HSM) that cannot be migrated to the cloud. Replacing the database with a cloud-native equivalent (e.g., Amazon RDS or Azure SQL Database) that supports a cloud-based HSM (like AWS CloudHSM or Azure Key Vault Managed HSM) allows the application to continue functioning with minimal redevelopment, as the replacement typically maintains SQL compatibility and standard interfaces.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Refactor
Why it's wrong here
Refactor requires significant code changes to use cloud-native database features.
Replace
Why this is correct
Replace uses a cloud-native database service, eliminating the HSM dependency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Rehost
Why it's wrong here
Rehost would retain the HSM dependency, which is not supported in the cloud.
Rebuild
Why it's wrong here
Rebuild involves completely rewriting the application, which is more effort.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'Replace' with 'Rebuild' or 'Refactor,' assuming that any change to the database engine requires significant code changes, but the exam tests the understanding that a cloud-native database replacement can be a drop-in substitute with minimal application impact when the HSM dependency is offloaded to a cloud service.
Detailed technical explanation
In practice, a database replacement strategy often involves migrating from an on-premises Oracle or SQL Server database to a cloud-managed service like Amazon RDS or Azure SQL Database, which can integrate with cloud HSMs via PKCS#11 or KMIP protocols. The cloud HSM handles key management and cryptographic operations transparently, so the application's SQL queries and connection strings require only minor changes (e.g., updating the JDBC/ODBC driver and connection endpoint). This approach avoids the need to rewrite stored procedures or application logic, as the new database engine supports the same SQL dialect and transaction semantics.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Replace — The correct answer is B (Replace) because the legacy database depends on a specific hardware security module (HSM) that cannot be migrated to the cloud. Replacing the database with a cloud-native equivalent (e.g., Amazon RDS or Azure SQL Database) that supports a cloud-based HSM (like AWS CloudHSM or Azure Key Vault Managed HSM) allows the application to continue functioning with minimal redevelopment, as the replacement typically maintains SQL compatibility and standard interfaces.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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