The correct choice is to use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression. This approach maximizes throughput by parallelizing data transfer across several agents while compression reduces the volume of data sent over the wire, effectively overcoming the 1 Gbps bandwidth limitation to move 10 TB within 48 hours. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of DataSync’s performance optimization features versus alternative migration tools; a common trap is immediately jumping to Snowball Edge for any large transfer, but here the bandwidth and time window make multi-agent compression the more efficient and cost-effective solution. Remember the mnemonic “MAC” for Multi-agent And Compression—when bandwidth is fixed and time is tight, MAC gets the data there faster.
DEA-C01 Data Ingestion and Transformation Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data ingestion and transformation. 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 wants to migrate on-premises data to Amazon S3 using AWS DataSync. The data is 10 TB and the network bandwidth is 1 Gbps. The migration must be completed within 48 hours. What should the data engineer do to meet the deadline?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression
Option D (Use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression) is correct because it maximizes throughput. Option A (Use Snowball Edge) is not necessary for 10 TB with 1 Gbps; it would take about 22 hours theoretically, but compression and multiple agents can help. Option B (Increase bandwidth) is not always feasible. Option C (Use S3 Transfer Acceleration) improves upload speed but not as much as multiple agents and compression.
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.
✗
Use S3 Transfer Acceleration to speed up the transfer
Why it's wrong here
Transfer Acceleration can help but not as much as multiple agents and compression.
✗
Use AWS Snowball Edge to transfer the data physically
Why it's wrong here
Snowball is for large datasets or low bandwidth, but 10 TB over 1 Gbps can be done in ~22 hours, so Snowball may be unnecessary.
✓
Use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression
Why this is correct
Multiple agents and compression maximize throughput to meet the deadline.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Request a bandwidth increase from the ISP
Why it's wrong here
Bandwidth increase may not be possible in time.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Data Ingestion and Transformation — This question tests Data Ingestion and Transformation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression — Option D (Use AWS DataSync with multiple agents and enable data compression) is correct because it maximizes throughput. Option A (Use Snowball Edge) is not necessary for 10 TB with 1 Gbps; it would take about 22 hours theoretically, but compression and multiple agents can help. Option B (Increase bandwidth) is not always feasible. Option C (Use S3 Transfer Acceleration) improves upload speed but not as much as multiple agents and compression.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 question wrong?
Identify which DEA-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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