Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company has an on-premises file server that stores large datasets. The company wants to reduce its on-premises storage footprint by moving cold data to AWS. However, users need low-latency access to frequently used files, and the applications must be able to access the data using the standard SMB protocol. The company wants to cache frequently accessed data locally on-premises for low latency, while securely storing all data in Amazon S3. Which AWS service should the company use?
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.
A
Best answer
AWS Storage Gateway File Gateway
Correct. File Gateway provides an on-premises file share that caches active data locally and stores all data durably in Amazon S3. It supports SMB protocol, enabling existing applications to access the cloud storage seamlessly while maintaining low latency for frequently used files.
B
Distractor review
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Incorrect. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is a fully managed native Windows file system in the cloud, but it does not provide on-premises caching. It is designed for use within AWS or via VPN/Direct Connect, but access from on-premises typically has higher latency than a local cache, and it does not reduce the on-premises storage footprint directly.
C
Distractor review
AWS DataSync
Incorrect. AWS DataSync is a data transfer service used for moving large amounts of data between on-premises storage and AWS. It does not provide continuous file serving or local caching, so it is not suitable for low-latency access to frequently used files.
D
Distractor review
Amazon S3 with AWS Direct Connect
Incorrect. While AWS Direct Connect provides a private network connection to AWS, Amazon S3 is an object storage service and does not natively support the SMB protocol. To serve files to on-premises applications over SMB, additional software (e.g., a file gateway or a file server in the cloud) would be required. This combination does not fulfill the need for a simple file share with local caching.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Storage Gateway File Gateway — The correct answer is AWS Storage Gateway File Gateway. This service provides a file-based interface to Amazon S3, supports the SMB protocol for on-premises access, and maintains a local cache of frequently accessed data for low-latency reads and writes. It seamlessly integrates on-premises applications with cloud storage, allowing the company to reduce its local storage footprint while retaining fast access to active data. Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is a fully managed Windows file server in the cloud, but it does not provide on-premises caching and is typically accessed from AWS rather than from on-premises for low-latency file access. AWS DataSync is used for large-scale data transfers between on-premises and AWS, not for ongoing file serving with local caching. Accessing Amazon S3 directly via AWS Direct Connect provides high-bandwidth private connectivity, but S3 does not natively support the SMB protocol or provide a file system interface; additional components would be needed to serve files to on-premises applications using standard file sharing protocols.
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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