- A
Amazon S3
Why wrong: S3 is object storage accessible via API and HTTP. It is not mounted as a block device for databases and cannot serve as a high-performance block storage layer for EC2 databases.
- B
Instance Store
Why wrong: Instance Store provides temporary block storage directly attached to the physical host. Data in instance store is lost when the instance is stopped or terminated — the opposite of the requirement.
- C
Amazon EBS
EBS provides durable, persistent block storage volumes that attach to EC2 instances. Data persists independently of the instance state — if the instance is stopped or the volume is detached, data remains intact.
- D
Amazon EFS
Why wrong: EFS provides shared file storage (NFS) accessible by multiple EC2 instances simultaneously. While persistent, it is a file system service, not a block storage volume for single-instance database use.
Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon EBS. This is the correct choice because Elastic Block Store provides persistent block storage that remains completely independent of the EC2 instance lifecycle — when you stop or terminate the instance, the EBS volume and its data are preserved unless you explicitly delete the volume. This contrasts directly with instance store volumes, which are ephemeral and lost when the instance stops or terminates. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this concept frequently appears in scenario-based questions testing your understanding of durable storage options; a common trap is confusing instance store with EBS, or assuming termination always deletes attached volumes. Remember the key distinction: EBS is persistent by design, instance store is temporary. A helpful memory tip is to think “EBS = Enduring Block Storage,” while instance store is like a scratch pad that gets wiped clean.
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 company runs a database on an Amazon EC2 instance. They need block storage that persists independently from the EC2 instance — if the instance is stopped or terminated, the data must remain available. Which AWS storage service provides this?
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 EBS
Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store) provides persistent block-level storage volumes that can be attached to an EC2 instance. Unlike instance store, EBS volumes persist independently of the instance lifecycle — data remains intact even when the instance is stopped or terminated, as long as the volume is not deleted. This makes EBS the correct choice for the requirement of persistent, independent block storage.
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
S3 is object storage accessible via API and HTTP. It is not mounted as a block device for databases and cannot serve as a high-performance block storage layer for EC2 databases.
- ✗
Instance Store
Why it's wrong here
Instance Store provides temporary block storage directly attached to the physical host. Data in instance store is lost when the instance is stopped or terminated — the opposite of the requirement.
- ✓
Amazon EBS
Why this is correct
EBS provides durable, persistent block storage volumes that attach to EC2 instances. Data persists independently of the instance state — if the instance is stopped or the volume is detached, data remains intact.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon EFS
Why it's wrong here
EFS provides shared file storage (NFS) accessible by multiple EC2 instances simultaneously. While persistent, it is a file system service, not a block storage volume for single-instance database use.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'persistent block storage' with 'instance store' because both appear as block devices, but instance store is ephemeral and tied to the instance's physical host, while EBS is a separate network-attached volume that survives instance stops and terminations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
EBS volumes are replicated within an Availability Zone (AZ) to protect against hardware failure, and they can be snapshotted to Amazon S3 for cross-region or cross-AZ backup. When an EC2 instance is stopped, the EBS root volume remains attached and retains data, but on termination, the root volume is deleted by default unless the 'DeleteOnTermination' flag is set to false. This subtle behavior is critical for architects designing resilient, stateful applications.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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 EBS — Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store) provides persistent block-level storage volumes that can be attached to an EC2 instance. Unlike instance store, EBS volumes persist independently of the instance lifecycle — data remains intact even when the instance is stopped or terminated, as long as the volume is not deleted. This makes EBS the correct choice for the requirement of persistent, independent block storage.
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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