Migrating Oracle to Aurora with Ongoing Replication

SAA-C03 By islever Editorial Last updated

Determine high-performing data ingestion and transformation solutions.

Short answer

C Use AWS SCT for schema conversion and AWS DMS with CDC to migrate existing data and replicate ongoing changes.

Question

A company stores data in an on-premises Oracle relational database. The company needs to make the data available in Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL for analysis. The company uses an AWS Site-to-Site VPN connection to connect its on-premises network to AWS. The company must capture the changes that occur to the source database during the migration to Aurora PostgreSQL. Which solution will meet these requirements?
  1. Use the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the Oracle schema to Aurora PostgreSQL schema. Use the AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) full-load migration task to migrate the data.
  2. Use AWS DataSync to migrate the data to an Amazon S3 bucket. Import the S3 data to Aurora PostgreSQL by using the Aurora PostgreSQL aws_s3 extension.
  3. Use the AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT) to convert the Oracle schema to Aurora PostgreSQL schema. Use AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) to migrate the existing data and replicate the ongoing changes. Correct Answer
  4. Use an AWS Snowball device to migrate the data to an Amazon S3 bucket. Import the S3 data to Aurora PostgreSQL by using the Aurora PostgreSQL aws_s3 extension.

Key Takeaways

The core test is identifying the toolset that supports Continuous Data Capture (CDC) during migration, distinguishing it from one-time bulk transfer methods.

This question addresses migrating data from on-premises Oracle to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL while capturing ongoing changes. The correct solution utilizes AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT) for schema conversion and AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for both initial load and change data capture.

Common mistake: Candidates often select options involving S3 or Snowball (B/D), which are suitable for static data but fail to meet the requirement of capturing real-time changes during the migration window.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Option C is the only solution that fulfills both the schema conversion and the ongoing change replication requirements. AWS SCT handles the complex translation of Oracle schemas to PostgreSQL-compatible structures. Crucially, AWS DMS supports Change Data Capture (CDC), allowing it to replicate ongoing database transactions from the source Oracle instance to the target Aurora PostgreSQL cluster in real-time, ensuring data consistency after the initial full load.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option A performs a full-load migration but lacks CDC, meaning any changes made in Oracle during the process would be lost or inconsistent. Option B uses AWS DataSync and S3, which are designed for file-level synchronization and batch imports, not relational database transaction replication. Option D relies on Snowball for physical data transport, which is an offline, one-time operation incapable of capturing live database changes.

Community Comment Notes

The community consensus strongly favors Option C. Users noted that the key phrase "capture the changes" necessitates a tool with CDC capabilities. As one user summarized, the solution must "migrate the existing data and replicate the ongoing changes," which is the specific value proposition of the SCT + DMS combination.

Official Reference

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/dms/latest/userguide/CHAP_Source.Oracle.html

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When a migration question mentions 'ongoing changes,' 'real-time sync,' or 'replication,' immediately look for AWS DMS with CDC enabled. Avoid S3-based solutions unless the question explicitly states 'offline' or 'batch' processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use AWS DMS without AWS SCT?

No. AWS SCT is required to convert the source schema (Oracle) to the target format (PostgreSQL) before DMS can migrate the data.

Why is AWS DataSync not suitable here?

DataSync synchronizes files to/from S3, not relational database transactions. It cannot capture ongoing SQL changes in real-time.

More SAA-C03 FAQ →

Community Votes

C
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer C. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 4 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 4

  1. MattBJ 👍 2 Answered C
    C is correct. As we need to capture the change during the migration.
  2. striker89 👍 2 Answered C
    migrate the existing data and replicate the ongoing changes.
  3. kempes 👍 10 Answered C
    Option C
  4. Scheldon 👍 1 Answered C
    Answer C

Reader comments & corrections

No reader corrections yet — spotted an error or have a note? Share it below.

Log in to comment, report an error, or add a note about this question.

Submitted for moderation before publishing. Keep it helpful and respectful.

S3 Multi-Region Access Point and Replication Strategy

S-grade

Securing NLB with Security Groups for Minimal Change

S-grade

Most Cost-Effective 7-Year Retention for EBS Snapshots?

S-grade

AWS Forecast vs SageMaker for Time-Series Prediction

S-grade

Practice All SAA-C03 Questions

Access 120 questions with complete answers and detailed explanations.

View Full SAA-C03 Practice Test →

← Back to SAA-C03 Study Guide