DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
A company uses Amazon S3 to store log files that are generated every hour. Each log file is about 1 GB. The logs must be stored for 5 years for compliance. The data engineer wants to minimize storage costs while ensuring that logs can be retrieved within 24 hours for the first year, and within 48 hours thereafter. Which TWO lifecycle actions should the engineer configure? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates might incorrectly think that Option C (Set a retrieval window of 48 hours for Glacier Deep Archive) is a valid lifecycle action, but retrieval windows are configured during restore operations, not in lifecycle rules. The trap is also that candidates might select Option A (S3 Standard) or Option D (delete after 2 years) due to misunderstanding access patterns or retention 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
✓
Transition objects to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year.
Transitioning objects to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year provides the lowest storage cost while meeting the 5-year retention requirement. After the first year, the retrieval window of up to 48 hours for Glacier Deep Archive satisfies the compliance need. Option E is correct because after 30 days, logs are less frequently accessed but still need retrieval within 24 hours during the first year; S3 Standard-IA offers lower cost than S3 Standard for such infrequent access. Option A is incorrect because transitioning to S3 Standard after 30 days is more expensive than Standard-IA and does not provide cost savings. Option C is incorrect because 'Set a retrieval window of 48 hours for Glacier Deep Archive' is not a lifecycle action; retrieval windows are configured during restore operations, not in lifecycle rules. Option D is incorrect because deleting objects after 2 years violates the 5-year retention policy.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Transition objects to S3 Standard after 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Transitioning to S3 Standard after 30 days is more expensive than transitioning to S3 Standard-IA, which provides lower cost for infrequent access while still meeting the 24-hour retrieval requirement during the first year.
- ✓
Transition objects to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year.
Why this is correct
Correct. Transitioning to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year minimizes storage costs for the remaining retention period, and the 48-hour retrieval window meets the compliance requirement after the first year.
- ✗
Set a retrieval window of 48 hours for Glacier Deep Archive.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Setting a retrieval window is not a lifecycle action; it is a parameter used when initiating a restore request. Lifecycle actions include transitions and expirations only.
- ✗
Delete objects after 2 years to reduce storage costs.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Deleting objects after 2 years would violate the 5-year compliance requirement. Objects must be retained for the full 5 years.
- ✓
Transition objects to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days.
Why this is correct
Correct. Transitioning to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days reduces storage costs for infrequently accessed logs while ensuring retrieval within 24 hours during the first year.
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 |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.