AWS RDS for SQL Server Practice Exam

AWS RDS for SQL Server Practice Exam

AWS RDS for SQL Server is a service that helps you run a SQL Server database on the cloud using Amazon Web Services (AWS). Instead of setting up and managing your own physical servers, AWS does it for you. It takes care of important tasks like backups, software updates, and security, so you can focus on using your database instead of maintaining it.

This service is useful for businesses that need to store and organize lots of data, like customer information or sales records. With AWS RDS for SQL Server, you can access your data from anywhere, scale up easily when your business grows, and trust that it’s secure and reliable without having to handle the technical work yourself.

Who should take the Exam?

This exam is ideal for:

• Database administrators (DBAs)
• Cloud architects and engineers
• Microsoft SQL Server professionals
• Developers working with database-driven apps
• IT professionals transitioning to cloud platforms
• Data analysts and BI developers
• Students pursuing a career in cloud or database management
• DevOps engineers working on database automation

Skills Required

• Basic understanding of Microsoft SQL Server
• Familiarity with database concepts (tables, queries, indexing, etc.)
• Knowledge of AWS services (EC2, IAM, VPC is helpful)
• Some experience with cloud computing or virtualization
• Ability to work with command-line tools or AWS Console

Knowledge Gained

• How to deploy and manage SQL Server on AWS RDS
• Automating backups, patching, and maintenance
• Security best practices (encryption, IAM roles, SSL)
• Monitoring and performance tuning RDS instances
• Migrating existing databases to AWS RDS
• Managing high availability and disaster recovery setups
• Working with read replicas and Multi-AZ deployments
• Cost optimization strategies for RDS usage

Course Outline

The AWS RDS for SQL Server Exam covers the following topics -

1. Introduction to AWS RDS

• What is RDS and its benefits
• Supported database engines
• Use cases of RDS in real-world scenarios

2. Getting Started with SQL Server on RDS

• Launching an RDS SQL Server instance
• Parameter groups and option groups
• Licensing models

3. Security and Access Control

• AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
• Encrypting databases using KMS
• VPC and security group configurations

4. Backup, Recovery, and Maintenance

• Automated and manual backups
• Point-in-time recovery
• Maintenance windows and patching

5. Performance Monitoring and Optimization

• Monitoring with Amazon CloudWatch
• Enhanced Monitoring and Performance Insights
• Query tuning and indexing strategies

6. High Availability and Disaster Recovery

• Multi-AZ deployments
• Read replicas and failover mechanisms
• Cross-region replication

7. Migration Strategies

• Using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
• Importing data using native SQL Server tools
• Best practices for migration

8. Cost and Scaling

• Instance types and pricing models
• Storage auto-scaling
• Cost-saving techniques and Reserved Instances