CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
A company needs to synchronize files between their on-premises file server and Amazon S3 on a recurring schedule, detecting and copying only the changed files. Which AWS service is designed for this use case?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse AWS Storage Gateway's file gateway with DataSync, but file gateway provides a live file server interface to S3 rather than a scheduled, agent-based sync tool for changed files.
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
✓
AWS DataSync
AWS DataSync is purpose-built for automating and accelerating the transfer of data between on-premises storage systems and AWS storage services, including Amazon S3. It supports incremental, scheduled transfers that detect and copy only changed files, making it the ideal choice for recurring file synchronization with S3.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Snowball
Why it's wrong here
AWS Snowball (part of the AWS Snow Family) transfers data offline by shipping ruggedized storage appliances that are physically loaded with data and returned to AWS. This approach is designed for massive, one-time bulk migrations or large data shuttles where network transfer is impractical, not for recurring, automated, scheduled synchronization. Because the process requires human handling, shipping time, and no continuous network connectivity, it cannot detect changed files on an ongoing basis or run periodic sync tasks, making it incorrect for this scenario.
- ✗
Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration uses AWS edge locations to route uploads over optimized network paths, speeding up large object transfers to S3 over long distances. However, it is purely a transport-layer acceleration feature for client uploads; it has no scheduling, no file-change detection, no bidirectional synchronization, and no data validation or automation for recurring transfers. It simply makes the initial upload faster, it does not keep source and destination in sync over time.
- ✓
AWS DataSync
Why this is correct
AWS DataSync is a fully managed data movement service that automates copying data between on-premises storage (NFS/SMB) and AWS storage (S3, EFS, FSx) using a lightweight agent deployed in the on-premises environment. It performs incremental transfers by scanning the source for changed files, supports scheduled recurring tasks, validates data integrity with checksums, and encrypts data in transit with TLS. This combination of automatic change detection, scheduling, and validation makes it the correct answer for ongoing synchronization between on-premises servers and AWS.
- ✗
AWS Storage Gateway
Why it's wrong here
AWS Storage Gateway provides hybrid cloud storage by exposing S3 or EBS-backed storage to on-premises applications via standard protocols like NFS, SMB, and iSCSI. While a File Gateway can cache and asynchronously upload files to S3, its primary role is to act as a live storage protocol endpoint for low-latency access, not as a batch-data-movement scheduler. It lacks the granular task scheduling, explicit change-detection-driven incremental transfer engine, and managed validation features that DataSync offers, so it is not the right tool for a dedicated recurring sync job.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.