The correct answer is GLACIER storage class. This is because the CloudFormation template defines an S3 lifecycle policy with a transition action that moves objects to the GLACIER storage class after 60 days, overriding the initial STANDARD storage class once the objects reach that age. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how S3 lifecycle transitions work independently of expiration actions—a common trap is assuming objects are deleted or that the transition time resets after a change. The key is that lifecycle rules apply based on the object’s age from creation, and without a separate expiration rule, objects simply move to the specified storage class. For the exam, remember: transition moves data, expiration removes it. A useful memory tip is “60 days to Glacier, no delete without a later rule.”
DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
This DEA-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data store management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The objects will be in GLACIER storage class.
The CloudFormation template includes a lifecycle rule that transitions objects to the GLACIER storage class after 60 days. Since the rule is configured with a transition action to GLACIER, objects will be moved from their initial storage class (typically STANDARD) to GLACIER once they reach 60 days of age. This is a standard S3 lifecycle policy behavior, and the objects will not be deleted unless a separate expiration action is defined.
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.
✓
The objects will be in GLACIER storage class.
Why this is correct
The rule transitions objects to GLACIER after 30 days, so by day 60, they are in GLACIER.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The objects will be deleted.
Why it's wrong here
The template does not include an expiration action; only transition.
✗
The objects will remain in STANDARD storage class because the rule is not triggered.
Why it's wrong here
The rule is enabled and will trigger after 30 days.
✗
The objects will be immediately transitioned to GLACIER upon creation.
Why it's wrong here
TransitionInDays is 30, so transition occurs after 30 days.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the Days parameter with a countdown from the rule creation date rather than from the object's creation date, or assume that a lifecycle rule without an explicit expiration means objects are deleted by default.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 lifecycle policies evaluate objects based on their creation date and apply transitions or expirations asynchronously, typically within 24-48 hours after the specified day threshold. The GLACIER storage class has a minimum 90-day storage charge, so transitioning at 60 days may incur early deletion fees if objects are deleted before 90 days. In real-world scenarios, engineers often combine transitions with expiration rules to manage data retention costs, but here only a transition is defined.
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.
Data Store Management — This question tests Data Store Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The objects will be in GLACIER storage class. — The CloudFormation template includes a lifecycle rule that transitions objects to the GLACIER storage class after 60 days. Since the rule is configured with a transition action to GLACIER, objects will be moved from their initial storage class (typically STANDARD) to GLACIER once they reach 60 days of age. This is a standard S3 lifecycle policy behavior, and the objects will not be deleted unless a separate expiration action is defined.
What should I do if I get this DEA-C01 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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Question Discussion
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