- A
Amazon S3
Why wrong: 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.
- B
Amazon EBS Multi-Attach
Why wrong: 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.
- C
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.
- D
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Why wrong: 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.
Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon EFS. This fully managed NFS file system is the correct choice because it allows multiple EC2 instances across different Availability Zones to read and write to a shared file system simultaneously, automatically replicating data across AZs for durability without any server provisioning. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of storage services that provide shared access across distributed compute resources, often contrasting EFS with EBS (which is block storage tied to a single AZ) or S3 (which is object storage, not a standard file system). A common trap is confusing EFS with EBS Multi-Attach, but EBS Multi-Attach is limited to a single AZ and specific instance types, while EFS natively spans AZs using NFSv4 protocols. Remember the memory tip: EFS = Elastic File System for EC2, and the "F" stands for "File" and "Federation" of AZs—if you need a shared file system across multiple zones, think EFS.
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
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
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon EFS
Amazon EFS (Elastic File System) is a fully managed, scalable NFS file system that can be mounted concurrently by multiple EC2 instances across different Availability Zones. It automatically replicates data across multiple AZs for durability and uses standard NFSv4.1 and NFSv4.0 protocols, meeting all requirements without any server provisioning or management.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
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.
- ✗
Amazon EBS Multi-Attach
Why it's wrong here
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.
- ✓
Amazon EFS
Why this is correct
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.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Why it's wrong here
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 traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Amazon EBS Multi-Attach (Option B) as a solution for shared storage across AZs, but it is strictly limited to a single AZ and requires Nitro-based instances, making it unsuitable for multi-AZ access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon EFS uses a distributed data store that automatically replicates file data and metadata across multiple Availability Zones within a region, providing 99.999999999% (11 nines) durability. It supports NFSv4.1 with lock management and can scale throughput from 0 to 10+ GB/s as files are added, without any pre-provisioning. A common real-world scenario is a media processing pipeline where multiple transcoding instances need concurrent read/write access to the same source and output files across different AZs for high availability.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon EFS — Amazon EFS (Elastic File System) is a fully managed, scalable NFS file system that can be mounted concurrently by multiple EC2 instances across different Availability Zones. It automatically replicates data across multiple AZs for durability and uses standard NFSv4.1 and NFSv4.0 protocols, meeting all requirements without any server provisioning or management.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.
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