The AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01) certification is designed for individuals who specialize in database-focused roles and are looking to validate their expertise in AWS database services. The exam covers a wide range of database concepts, from database design, deployment, migration, and management, to optimization and troubleshooting within AWS.

Key Details:

Exam Code: DBS-C01

Level: Specialty

Duration: 180 minutes

Format: Multiple choice and multiple response

Cost: USD $300

Exam Domains:

Workload-Specific Database Design (26%)

Choose appropriate database services based on workload requirements.

Evaluate database architectures and configurations for efficiency and scalability.

Analyze data access patterns to determine optimal database solutions.

Deployment and Migration (20%)

Deploy database solutions in AWS.

Migrate databases to AWS using services like AWS DMS (Database Migration Service).

Handle cross-region and cross-account replication.

Management and Operations (18%)

Manage and monitor database clusters.

Perform maintenance, upgrades, and scaling of databases in AWS.

Implement security measures, including encryption, backups, and access controls.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting (18%)

Monitor database performance using AWS tools such as CloudWatch and Performance Insights.

Troubleshoot performance issues and optimize databases.

Diagnose and resolve database failures.

Database Security (18%)

Implement database security best practices.

Ensure compliance with data regulations and encryption requirements.

Use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) for database access.

Recommended AWS Services to Know:

Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)

Amazon Aurora

Amazon DynamoDB

Amazon Redshift

Amazon DocumentDB

Amazon Neptune

Amazon ElastiCache

Recommended Knowledge and Experience:

5+ years of experience with database technologies.

Experience with both on-premises and AWS-based databases.

Hands-on experience with AWS database services and a strong understanding of database security, replication, backup, and recovery.

Preparation Resources:

AWS Certified Database - Specialty Exam Guide: Official guide with domain breakdown.

AWS Skill Builder: Offers self-paced learning modules.

Whitepapers: AWS's whitepapers on database migration, performance optimization, and best practices.

AWS Practice Exams: Available on the AWS Certification website.

This certification is ideal for database administrators, architects, or developers who work on AWS cloud platforms and want to deepen their database expertise in the cloud.