DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
A data engineering team needs to store log files for 90 days with immediate access, then archive them for 7 years with infrequent access. Which S3 storage class configuration meets these requirements cost-effectively?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume S3 Standard is necessary for immediate access over 90 days, overlooking that S3 Intelligent-Tiering provides the same retrieval performance at lower cost for data with variable access patterns, and that Glacier Deep Archive is the most cost-effective option for long-term archival with infrequent access.
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
✓
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering with lifecycle transition to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days
S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves data between access tiers based on changing access patterns, making it cost-effective for logs that may have variable access during the first 90 days. A lifecycle policy then transitions the data to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days, which provides the lowest-cost storage for the 7-year archival period with infrequent access needs.
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 One Zone-IA for 90 days, then lifecycle to S3 Glacier Deep Archive
Why it's wrong here
One Zone-IA does not provide the same durability as Standard or Intelligent-Tiering.
- ✓
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering with lifecycle transition to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days
Why this is correct
Intelligent-Tiering optimizes costs for unknown patterns, and lifecycle to Deep Archive meets long-term retention.
- ✗
Use S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval for 90 days, then lifecycle to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval
Why it's wrong here
Glacier Instant Retrieval is more expensive than Standard for frequent access.
- ✗
Use S3 Standard for 90 days, then lifecycle policy to S3 Glacier Deep Archive
Why it's wrong here
D is incorrect because although the lifecycle transition to S3 Glacier Deep Archive is appropriate for long-term archival, using S3 Standard for the first 90 days is less cost-effective than using S3 Intelligent-Tiering, which can reduce costs for data with variable access patterns.
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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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.