Exam domains

The AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01) exam is split into five high-level topics covering a wide range of subjects. These are broken down as follows:

Figure 1.1 – Table showing the percentage weighting for the five domains in the exam

The percentage refers to the most likely number of questions that will be asked in the exam. You can expect a breakdown similar to the following: 

Figure 1.2 – Table showing the approximate number of questions for each domain in the exam

AWS offers a high-level description of each domain, but it doesn't fully explain all the technologies, solutions, and services you'll need to know in order to pass the exam. In the next few sections, we are going to look in more depth at what each domain really means and the key topics within it. This can be used to help guide you while you study and prepare for the exam. Let's now look at each domain in detail.

Workload-specific database design

Workload-specific database design can also sometimes be referred to as purpose-built databases. It means that before choosing which database to use, you look closely at the type of data that will be stored and how the application or users access it.

To succeed in this domain, you will need to know how to build a scalable and resilient database using the right database engine for the use case and to understand how to use AWS infrastructure to protect it from failures.

In order to succeed in this domain, you will need to: 

• Know how to build a scalable and resilient database using the right database engine for the use case and to understand how to use AWS infrastructure to protect it from failures. 
• Know the features that can be used to increase the performance of your databases, and which work for each different database type and use case. 
• Understand and calculate the costs of different database solutions and how you can help to optimize costs while meeting the performance and resilience requirements of the use case. 

Under this domain, the following topics will be covered:

• Selecting appropriate database services for specific types of data and workloads
• Determining strategies for disaster recovery and high availability
• Designing database solutions for performance, compliance, and scalability
• Comparing the costs of database solutions

In the following sections we will cover every topic in detail.

Selecting appropriate database services for specific types of data and workloads

This area focuses on the different database engines AWS supports and the options available for them.

You will need to know about all of the database engines that AWS offers and versions, what features are available for each, and how to apply those to a specific use case. We will spend time studying these in depth later in this book as knowing these thoroughly will be the best way to pass the exam.

Determining strategies for disaster recovery and high availability

Disaster recovery and high availability are critical topics in the exam. You will need to understand terms such as Multi-AZ, read replicas, cross-region, and backup and restore techniques, all of which will be covered in depth throughout this book.

You will need to know how to use these tools correctly for different database engines to meet the use case.

Designing database solutions for performance, compliance, and scalability

Each different database offers different ways to scale. You will need to understand horizontal versus vertical scaling and how that affects database design.

You will need to know different compliance standards and how AWS uses tools and services to meet them.

Comparing the costs of database solutions

For this domain, you will need to understand the different pricing models AWS uses for each database type, and you will learn the types of instances available as well as how pricing plans work for serverless databases.

You will need to be able to work out which database type is most cost-effective for your given use case.

Deployment and migration

The second domain you will be tested on is deployment and migration. This will cover creating different databases both via the console and the command line and the options available, such as cloning. For the migration, you will need to know AWS best practices on moving data to AWS and how to use the tools offered for migrations.

Under this domain, the following topics will be covered:

• Automating database solution deployments
• Determining data preparation and migration strategies
• Executing and validating data migration

We will begin by looking more closely at each topic.

Automating database solution deployments

Automation is the key to this area, and you will need to know the AWS automation tools and how to use them.

You will also need to know the common commands to create databases programmatically.

Determining data preparation and migration strategies

For this area, you will need to understand and explain the different methods of migrating data to AWS and the options available. This section focuses on understanding and assessing the current database and producing a strategy for the migration.

You will need to understand and explain the different methods of migrating data to AWS and the options available.

Executing and validating data migration

This area covers the migration steps and tools available to use on AWS. You will be tested on your understanding of data validation techniques and how AWS manages this.

You will need to understand how to monitor data migration and how to tune and optimize it.

Management and operations

Once you have migrated your data to AWS, you now need to know how to manage and operate the databases. You will need to understand backup and restore technologies, maintenance tasks and windows, and how to work with database options.

The topics covered in this domain are the following:

• Determining maintenance tasks and processes
• Determining backup and restore strategies
• Managing the operational environment of a database solution

Next, we will study these topics in detail.

Determining maintenance tasks and processes

AWS uses maintenance windows to allow their teams to carry out work in the background. You will need to understand how this works, what can happen during them, and how to use them for your own maintenance strategies.

Determining backup and restore strategies

This area focuses on backup strategies rather than the underlying technology. You will need to understand and describe terms such as RTO and RPO and know how to utilize different AWS services to meet the needs of the use case. You will need to know the fastest and most efficient options for recovering from the failure of different databases.

Managing the operational environment of a database solution

The operational environment includes areas such as parameters and options that can be enabled.

You will need to understand how to use these as well as best practices for consistency for large database estates.

Monitoring and troubleshooting

If your database starts to underperform or to give errors, you need to be able to identify the problem and understand common troubleshooting techniques. This domain focuses on database metrics, diagnosing faults, and how to resolve them quickly, as well as configuring alerting.

The topics covered in this domain are the following:

• Determining monitoring and alerting strategies
• Troubleshooting and resolving common database issues
• Optimizing database performance

Next, we will study these topics in detail.

Determining monitoring and alerting strategies

Working with AWS tools to create an alerting strategy that meets the needs of the use case is critical for all database deployments.

You will need to know the standard metrics that AWS uses and how to configure these for alerting purposes.

Troubleshooting and resolving common database issues

AWS databases have multiple logs to write data. You will need to know the different logs and which one to use for each problem.

You will need to understand to use the information in the logs to resolve common database problems such as space issues or error messages.

Optimizing database performance

In this area, you will need to learn how to read AWS graphs showing database metrics and what actions to take if there are issues.

You will need to understand how the different tools can offer deeper insights into the performance of the database to help analyze the problem.