CLF-C02 - Cloud Technology and Services - Section 3.6

Identify AWS database services, distinguishing relational databases such as Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora from NoSQL databases such as Amazon DynamoDB and memory-based databases.

Distinguish relational database services - Amazon RDS for standard SQL engines and Amazon Aurora for a cloud-native, high-performance relational database - from NoSQL options. Recognise Amazon DynamoDB as a fully managed key-value and document NoSQL database suited to high-throughput, low-latency workloads, and identify memory-based caching services as a separate category.

Amazon RDSAmazon AuroraAmazon DynamoDBManaged databases

Practice question for this objective

Free sampleCloud Technology and Servicesmedium

A team is reviewing the AWS database portfolio and must identify which services are relational databases that organise data into tables queried with SQL. Which TWO of the following AWS services are relational databases? (Select TWO.)

  • AAmazon RDS, a managed service that runs relational engines such as MySQL and PostgreSQL using tables and SQL. Correct
  • BAmazon DynamoDB, a fully managed database that stores items as flexible key-value and document records.
  • CAmazon Aurora, a relational database built by AWS that is compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL tables and SQL. Correct
  • DAmazon ElastiCache, a managed in-memory data store that keeps data in RAM for very low-latency caching.
  • EAmazon S3, a managed object store that holds files as objects in buckets reached through a URL.
Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora are AWS relational databases that organise data into tables queried with SQL, unlike NoSQL, in-memory, or object stores. A relational database arranges data into related tables and answers SQL queries with joins and transactions. Both Amazon RDS and Amazon Aurora run relational engines such as MySQL and PostgreSQL on this model, whereas DynamoDB is NoSQL key-value, ElastiCache keeps data in memory for caching, and Amazon S3 holds objects in buckets, none of which are relational.

Why A is correct: Amazon RDS hosts relational engines whose data lives in tables queried with SQL, so it belongs in the relational category.

Why B is wrong: DynamoDB is a NoSQL key-value and document store, so it is tempting alongside the others but is not a relational database.

Why C is correct: Aurora is a relational engine compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL, so its table-based SQL data makes it relational.

Why D is wrong: ElastiCache is an in-memory caching store rather than a table-based SQL database, so it is not relational.

Why E is wrong: Amazon S3 stores unstructured objects in buckets, not tables queried with SQL, so it is object storage and not a database.

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