DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
A data engineer is using Amazon Redshift and needs to load data from Amazon S3 into a Redshift table. The data is in Parquet format and is partitioned by date in S3. The engineer wants to load only the data for the last 7 days to reduce load time and cost. Which Redshift command should the engineer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that the COPY command can filter by partition automatically, but it requires a manifest or specific prefix to limit the files loaded.
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
✓
COPY command with a manifest file that lists only the files for the last 7 days.
The COPY command with a manifest file allows precise selection of files to load, enabling the engineer to load only the Parquet files for the last 7 days. This minimizes data transfer and load time. Other options either do not exist (PARTITION clause in COPY) or are for unloading data (UNLOAD) or are less efficient for bulk loading (INSERT from Spectrum).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
COPY command with a manifest file that lists only the files for the last 7 days.
Why this is correct
The COPY command can use a manifest file to specify exactly which files to load. By creating a manifest that lists only the Parquet files for the last 7 days, the engineer can load only the required data. This reduces load time and cost by avoiding unnecessary data transfer.
- ✗
UNLOAD command with the PARTITION BY clause.
Why it's wrong here
The UNLOAD command is used to unload data from Redshift to S3, not to load data into Redshift. It is the opposite of what is needed. The PARTITION BY clause in UNLOAD is for partitioning output data in S3, not for loading.
- ✗
INSERT INTO ... SELECT FROM spectrum ... WHERE date >= ...
Why it's wrong here
Redshift Spectrum allows querying S3 data directly, and you can insert the results into a Redshift table. However, this approach may be less efficient for bulk loading compared to COPY, as it involves query processing and then insertion. COPY with a manifest is optimized for loading and is more cost-effective for this scenario.
- ✗
COPY command with the PARTITION clause.
Why it's wrong here
The COPY command does not have a PARTITION clause. Redshift COPY can load from a specific S3 prefix, but it does not automatically filter by partition. To load only the last 7 days, the engineer must specify the appropriate S3 prefix or use a manifest file.
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 and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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