DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. A data engineer configured the lifecycle policy shown. The 'logs/' prefix contains important audit logs. After 365 days, what happens to the objects?
⚠ Common exam trap
The DEA-C01 exam often tests the distinction between 'expiration' (permanent deletion) and 'transition' (moving to another storage class), and candidates mistakenly assume that expiration implies a transition to a cold storage class like Glacier.
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
✓
Objects are permanently deleted.
The lifecycle policy shown has a single rule that expires objects in the 'logs/' prefix after 365 days. In Amazon S3, an 'expiration' action permanently deletes the objects once the specified number of days has passed since object creation. There is no transition action configured, so objects are not moved to any storage class; they are simply deleted.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Objects are permanently deleted.
Why this is correct
The lifecycle policy's expiration action permanently deletes objects once they reach 365 days; S3 lifecycle expiration removes the current version outright rather than transitioning it. Because the logs/ prefix falls under the rule, those audit logs are irrecoverably deleted unless versioning or Object Lock preserves them.
- ✗
Objects are transitioned to Glacier Deep Archive.
Why it's wrong here
Deep Archive applies only when the lifecycle rule explicitly names it; the exhibit's transition target governs the outcome, not the default assumption. It tempts because Deep Archive is the cheapest archival tier for data retained years and rarely retrieved, making it a valid choice when audit rules allow 12-hour restore times.
- ✗
Objects are transitioned to Glacier.
Why it's wrong here
Glacier is the archival tier the policy would select only if the exhibit's transition targeted it; the stem's audit-log requirement and the configured rule determine the actual destination. It tempts because Glacier suits long-term archival of data accessed rarely, which is a valid design when compliance permits retrieval delays of minutes to hours.
- ✗
Objects are transitioned to Standard-IA.
Why it's wrong here
Standard-IA is reached only via a transition action naming that class; the exhibit's configured rule, not the 365-day age alone, dictates the destination. It tempts because Standard-IA suits infrequently accessed objects needing millisecond retrieval, which is valid when the policy explicitly transitions logs there.
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
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