A media processing company runs multiple Amazon EC2 instances in different Availability Zones. All instances need to read and write to a shared file system simultaneously. The file system must be fully managed, automatically replicated across multiple Availability Zones for durability, and accessible by all instances using standard file access protocols. The company does not want to provision or manage any file servers. Which AWS service should the company use to meet these requirements?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
Amazon S3
Incorrect. Amazon S3 is an object storage service, not a file system. It does not support concurrent file-level locking or standard file access protocols like NFS or SMB needed for simultaneous read/write from multiple EC2 instances.
Distractor review
Amazon EBS Multi-Attach
Incorrect. Amazon EBS Multi-Attach allows a single EBS volume to be attached to up to 16 EC2 instances, but all instances must be in the same Availability Zone. It does not work across Availability Zones, so it cannot meet the requirement for high availability across zones.
Best answer
Amazon EFS
Correct. Amazon EFS provides a fully managed, elastic NFS file system that can be mounted on multiple EC2 instances across different Availability Zones simultaneously. It automatically replicates data across zones within a region for durability and is ideal for shared file storage.
Distractor review
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Incorrect. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is a fully managed Windows file system that supports the SMB protocol. While it can be accessed from multiple instances, it is designed for Windows-based workloads. For a general, Linux-friendly shared file system that does not require licensing overhead, Amazon EFS is a better fit.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer needs to launch a test server for a new application prototype. The developer logs into the AWS Management Console, selects an Amazon EC2 instance type, configures the security group, and starts the instance. The instance is running within two minutes, and the developer did not need to submit a formal request to the company's IT procurement team or wait for approval from a cloud administrator. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario best demonstrate?
Question 2
A solutions architect is planning a new web application on AWS. The workload will include 3 Amazon EC2 instances (t3.medium) running 24/7, an Application Load Balancer, and an Amazon RDS for MySQL db.t3.small database. The architect needs to estimate the monthly cost for the first year, considering different purchasing options (On-Demand, 1-year All Upfront Reserved Instance, and Compute Savings Plan). Which AWS tool should the architect use to create this estimate?
Question 3
A company's development team frequently needs temporary test environments. A developer can log into the AWS Management Console, select an Amazon EC2 instance type, configure storage, and launch the instance within minutes without any interaction with the IT infrastructure team. This capability is an example of which essential characteristic of cloud computing?
Question 4
A company's finance team needs to analyze AWS spending in detail. They require a report that includes hourly cost data for each AWS service, each individual resource (e.g., a specific EC2 instance), and any cost allocation tags applied. The team plans to export this data to an Amazon S3 bucket and then import it into a custom business intelligence (BI) analytics dashboard. Which AWS tool should the finance team use to generate this level of detailed cost data?
Question 5
A company uses AWS for its development environment. The finance team wants to set a monthly budget of $10,000. They want to receive an email notification when the actual costs reach 80% of the budget ($8,000) and again when costs exceed the budget. The team needs a managed AWS service that can automatically send these alerts without requiring custom code or third-party tools. Which AWS service should the team use?
Question 6
A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce a policy that restricts SSH access (port 22) from the internet (0.0.0.0/0) in all VPCs across all accounts. The team wants to centrally define the allowed rules and automatically apply them to newly created VPCs and security groups, while also automatically remediating any existing non-compliant security groups. Which AWS service should the team use?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon EFS — Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) is a fully managed, scalable, and elastic file system designed for use with AWS Cloud services and on-premises resources. It supports the Network File System (NFS) protocol, can be accessed by multiple EC2 instances across multiple Availability Zones, and automatically replicates data within a region for high durability and availability. Amazon EBS Multi-Attach allows a single EBS volume to be attached to up to 16 EC2 instances, but it is limited to instances in the same Availability Zone, not across zones. Amazon S3 is an object storage service and does not provide file system semantics or standard file access protocols like NFS. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides a fully managed Windows file system, but it is purpose-built for Windows workloads and is not the most cost-effective or simplest choice for general Linux-based file sharing on AWS.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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