AWS Services Hosting PostgreSQL
Short answer
BC Amazon Aurora and Amazon EC2 are the two services listed that can host PostgreSQL databases.
Question
Key Takeaways
Tests the ability to differentiate between storage-only services and those capable of running database engines, highlighting that PostgreSQL runs on both managed (Aurora) and unmanaged (EC2) infrastructure.
Identifies which AWS services support PostgreSQL databases, distinguishing between managed database offerings and general compute resources. Establishes that both Amazon Aurora and Amazon EC2 are valid platforms for hosting this specific relational database engine.
Common mistake: Candidates often incorrectly select Amazon S3 or EFS, confusing object/file storage with executable database environments, or overlook EC2's flexibility in hosting custom database instances.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Amazon Aurora is a managed relational database service that fully supports PostgreSQL as one of its primary engines, making it a correct choice. Amazon EC2 provides virtual servers where users have full administrative control, allowing them to install and run PostgreSQL manually, which also makes it a correct choice. While Amazon RDS is another common answer for PostgreSQL, it is not listed here; among the options, only Aurora and EC2 provide the necessary runtime environment.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Amazon S3 is an object storage service designed for storing data files, not for executing database software. Amazon OpenSearch Service is a search and analytics engine based on Elasticsearch, incompatible with PostgreSQL protocols. Amazon EFS is a file storage system for use with EC2 and Lambda, lacking the database engine capabilities required to host PostgreSQL.
Community Comment Notes
The community consensus strongly supports BC, with multiple users confirming that Aurora natively supports PostgreSQL. One user noted that while managed services like RDS offer convenience, "setting up PostgreSQL on EC2 gives you complete control over your database configuration," reinforcing EC2's validity as a hosting option.
Exam Strategy
When asked about hosting specific database engines, consider both managed services (like Aurora/RDS) and general-purpose compute (EC2). Eliminate storage-only services (S3, EFS) and specialized non-relational services (OpenSearch) immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run PostgreSQL on Amazon S3?
Why isn't Amazon RDS an option here?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer BC. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 3 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 3
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its_tima 👍 1"Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) provides scalable computing power in the cloud, making it an excellent platform for hosting databases like PostgreSQL. While managed services like Amazon RDS or Aurora offer convenience, setting up PostgreSQL on EC2 gives you complete control over your database configuration."
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Nikmah 👍 1• PostgreSQL and MySQL are both supported as Aurora DB
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ShaiTay 👍 1B. Amazon Aurora C. Amazon EC2
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