The best solution is to use AWS Backup to copy EC2 backups and RDS backups to the separate Region. AWS Backup offers a centralized and automated way to manage backups for multiple AWS services, including EC2 and RDS, and supports cross-Region backup copying with minimal configuration and operational effort. This solution is scalable and fully managed, reducing the complexity of custom scripting or manual snapshot handling.

Now let's examine why the other options are not suitable:

Using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (Amazon DLM) is incorrect because DLM is specifically designed for automating EBS snapshot lifecycles. It does not natively support RDS backups or cross-Region replication for RDS instances, making it an incomplete solution.

Creating Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) of EC2 instances and copying them to another Region is a manual, EC2-only process and does not address RDS backups. Additionally, setting up an RDS read replica in another Region only works for supported engines and doesn't equate to a full backup strategy. It also introduces operational complexity and additional costs.

Manually creating EBS snapshots and copying them across Regions, then exporting RDS snapshots to S3 and configuring S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR), is technically possible but involves multiple manual steps and service integrations. This approach is more error-prone and significantly increases operational overhead compared to using AWS Backup.

Why this question matters: Cross-Region backup is a critical part of disaster recovery planning. This question evaluates your understanding of AWS services that provide backup automation and cross-Region capabilities, emphasizing cost-effective and operationally efficient solutions.

Exam tip: If you see questions about multi-service backup across Regions with minimal manual intervention, look for fully managed solutions like AWS Backup. Be cautious of options that require multiple tools or manual setup, as they often carry more overhead.

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