DBS-C01 Question #1: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

A company is running its line of business application on AWS, which uses Amazon RDS for MySQL at the persistent data store. The company wants to minimize downtime when it migrates the database to Amazon Aurora. Which migration method should a Database Specialist use?

Options

• ATake a snapshot of the RDS for MySQL DB instance and create a new Aurora DB cluster with the
• BMake a backup of the RDS for MySQL DB instance using the mysqldump utility, create a new
• CCreate an Aurora Replica from the RDS for MySQL DB instance and promote the Aurora DB
• DCreate a clone of the RDS for MySQL DB instance and promote the Aurora DB cluster.

Explanation

Explanation

Creating an Aurora Replica from an existing RDS for MySQL DB instance is the best approach because it continuously replicates data from the source MySQL instance with minimal lag, and once replication is caught up, you can promote the Aurora replica to a standalone cluster - resulting in extremely minimal downtime (typically just seconds during the final cutover).

Why the other options fall short:

• Option A (Snapshot): Restoring from a snapshot requires downtime during the snapshot creation and restoration process, and any data written after the snapshot is taken would be lost.
• Option B (mysqldump): This is a slow, manual process that requires taking the application offline for an extended period while data is exported and re-imported - causing significant downtime.
• Option D (Clone): Cloning is a feature used to copy Aurora clusters, not RDS for MySQL instances; it is not a valid migration path from MySQL to Aurora.

Memory Tip 🧠

Think "Replicate, then Promote" - whenever a question asks about minimizing downtime during a migration from RDS MySQL to Aurora, the answer involves creating an Aurora Replica (which handles live replication) and then promoting it. The keyword "minimize downtime" should immediately point you to the replica approach, since it keeps both databases in sync before the final switch.

No community discussion yet for this question.