Question 1,244 of 1,711
S3 Storage Classes for Log Archival — Cost-Effective Strategies
A company needs to store log files from multiple applications in a centralized location. The logs are written once and accessed rarely after 30 days. The company must retain logs for 5 years. Which TWO actions meet these requirements cost-effectively?
Quick Answer
The answer is S3 Glacier Deep Archive combined with a lifecycle policy. This is correct because Glacier Deep Archive offers the lowest storage cost for data accessed rarely, with retrieval times of 12 hours or more, making it ideal for log files that are written once and accessed rarely after 30 days. A lifecycle rule automatically transitions objects from a higher-cost class like S3 Standard to Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days, meeting the 5-year retention requirement cost-effectively. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cost-optimized S3 storage classes for log archival, often appearing as a two-part answer requiring both the correct storage class and a lifecycle policy. A common trap is choosing S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval, which costs more than Deep Archive for truly rare access. Memory tip: think “Deep for deep-freeze logs” — if you can wait 12 hours, Deep Archive is the cheapest.
⚠ Common exam trap
AWS often tests the distinction between S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval and S3 Glacier Deep Archive, where candidates mistakenly choose the former for rarely accessed data due to familiarity, ignoring the cost savings of the latter for deep archival use cases.
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
✓
Configure a lifecycle policy to transition objects to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days
S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the lowest-cost storage class for data that is accessed rarely, with retrieval times of 12 hours or more, making it ideal for logs that are rarely accessed after 30 days. A lifecycle policy transitions objects from a higher-cost class (e.g., S3 Standard) to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days, meeting the 5-year retention requirement cost-effectively.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure a lifecycle policy to transition objects to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 30 days
Why this is correct
Deep Archive is the lowest-cost storage class for long-term retention.
- ✗
Configure a lifecycle policy to transition objects to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 30 days
Why it's wrong here
Flexible Retrieval is more expensive than Deep Archive for data accessed rarely.
- ✓
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering for automatic cost optimization
Why this is correct
Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves data to lower-cost tiers after 30 days.
- ✗
Use S3 One Zone-IA for the first 30 days, then delete
Why it's wrong here
One Zone-IA is not recommended for data that needs to be retained for 5 years.
- ✗
Store all logs in S3 Standard
Why it's wrong here
S3 Standard is cost-prohibitive for 5-year retention of rarely accessed data.
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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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on DEA-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer needs to store log files from multiple applications in a central S3 bucket. The logs must be stored cost-effectively for long-term retention (7 years). The logs are accessed infrequently after the first 30 days. Which storage class should the engineer use for objects older than 30 days?
easy- A.S3 Glacier Deep Archive
- B.S3 Standard
- C.S3 One Zone-IA
- ✓ D.S3 Standard-IA
Why D: D is correct because S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) is designed for data accessed less frequently but requires rapid access when needed, with a lower storage cost than S3 Standard and a 30-day minimum storage duration charge. After the first 30 days, logs are infrequently accessed, making Standard-IA the most cost-effective option that still provides millisecond first-byte latency for occasional retrieval needs over the 7-year retention period.
Variation 2. A company needs to store archival logs that must be retained for 10 years. The logs are accessed infrequently, but when accessed, retrieval must occur within 12 hours. Which storage class is MOST cost-effective?
easy- ✓ A.Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive
- B.Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering
- C.Amazon S3 Standard
- D.Amazon S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access
Why A: Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the most cost-effective storage class for archival logs that must be retained for 10 years with infrequent access and a 12-hour retrieval window. It offers the lowest storage cost among S3 classes, with retrieval times typically within 12 hours for standard retrievals, making it ideal for long-term archival data that is rarely accessed.
Variation 3. A data engineer needs to store archival data that is rarely accessed but must be retained for 7 years. The data should be retrievable within 12 hours. Which Amazon S3 storage class is MOST cost-effective?
easy- A.S3 Intelligent-Tiering
- B.S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval
- C.S3 Standard
- ✓ D.S3 Glacier Deep Archive
Why D: S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the most cost-effective storage class for archival data that is rarely accessed and requires a 7-year retention period, with retrieval times up to 12 hours. It offers the lowest storage cost among S3 classes, making it ideal for long-term retention of data that does not need immediate access.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This DEA-C01 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 DEA-C01 exam.
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