Question 552 of 1,711
S3 Standard-IA for Infrequently Accessed Logs
A data engineer needs to store semi-structured JSON logs from an application for up to 30 days, with infrequent access. Which storage solution is the most cost-effective?
Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA). This storage class is the most cost-effective solution for storing semi-structured JSON logs for up to 30 days with infrequent access because it balances lower storage costs than S3 Standard with the same low-latency retrieval and 99.999999999% durability across multiple Availability Zones, making it ideal for data that is rarely accessed but must be available immediately when needed. On the AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate DEA-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match storage classes to access patterns, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose S3 Glacier for infrequent logs, forgetting that Glacier imposes retrieval delays and minimum storage durations that exceed 30 days. Remember the memory tip: “IA for logs you rarely touch, but need in a clutch.”
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates choose S3 One Zone-IA (Option B) thinking it is cheaper due to single-AZ storage, but they overlook the durability and availability requirements for logs that may need to be recovered from an AZ failure, and the fact that S3 Standard-IA is actually more cost-effective for this 30-day retention scenario when considering retrieval costs and minimum storage charges.
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
✓
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA)
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) is the most cost-effective choice for storing semi-structured JSON logs for up to 30 days with infrequent access. It offers low storage cost (compared to S3 Standard) while providing low-latency retrieval and high durability (99.999999999%) across multiple Availability Zones, making it ideal for data that is accessed less frequently but needs immediate availability when requested.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive
Why it's wrong here
Designed for long-term archival, not suitable for 30-day access.
- ✗
Amazon S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access (S3 One Zone-IA)
Why it's wrong here
Less durable; logs may need cross-AZ resilience.
- ✗
Amazon S3 Standard
Why it's wrong here
More expensive for infrequent access patterns.
- ✓
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA)
Why this is correct
Cost-effective for infrequently accessed data with rapid access needs.
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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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on DEA-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A data engineer needs to store semi-structured JSON files that are accessed infrequently but must be retrievable within minutes. The data is immutable and must be stored cost-effectively. Which AWS service should the engineer use?
easy- A.Amazon DynamoDB with on-demand capacity
- B.Amazon EBS with gp3 volume
- ✓ C.Amazon S3 with S3 Standard-IA storage class
- D.Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL with JSONB data type
Why C: Amazon S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) is designed for data that is accessed less frequently but requires rapid retrieval when needed, with retrieval times in milliseconds. It offers lower storage costs than S3 Standard while maintaining high durability and availability, making it ideal for storing immutable semi-structured JSON files that must be retrievable within minutes. The service is cost-effective for infrequently accessed data because it charges a retrieval fee per GB, but the storage price is significantly lower than standard tiers.
Variation 2. A data engineer needs to store semi-structured JSON files that are accessed infrequently but must be retrievable within minutes. The data should be stored cost-effectively. Which storage solution meets these requirements?
easy- A.Amazon S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval storage class.
- B.Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive storage class.
- ✓ C.Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) storage class.
- D.Amazon S3 Standard storage class.
Why C: Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) is the correct choice because it is designed for data accessed infrequently but requires rapid retrieval (within milliseconds). It offers lower storage costs than S3 Standard while maintaining low-latency access, meeting the requirement of retrievability within minutes cost-effectively.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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