- A
Use SSE-S3 with S3 Same-Region Replication (SRR).
Why wrong: SRR replicates within the same region, not across regions, so it does not meet the disaster recovery requirement.
- B
Use SSE-S3 with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
SSE-S3 uses Amazon S3-managed keys that are rotated automatically at least annually, satisfying the encryption key management requirement. S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) replicates data to another region for disaster recovery.
- C
Use SSE-KMS with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Why wrong: SSE-KMS can use either AWS managed keys (rotated automatically annually) or customer-managed keys. While it is possible to meet the requirement for AWS-managed keys and automatic rotation using the default AWS managed key for S3, SSE-KMS introduces additional complexity for Cross-Region Replication: you must configure the replication role with permissions to decrypt objects in the source region and encrypt them in the destination region using the appropriate KMS keys. SSE-S3 with CRR meets the requirements without this overhead, making it the simpler and correct choice.
- D
Use SSE-C with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Why wrong: SSE-C requires the customer to provide and manage their own encryption keys, which does not meet the requirement for AWS-managed keys with automatic rotation.
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.
A data engineer is designing a data lake on Amazon S3 for a healthcare organization that must comply with HIPAA regulations. The data includes protected health information (PHI) and must be encrypted at rest. The organization requires that all encryption keys be managed by AWS and rotated automatically every year. Additionally, the data must be replicated to another AWS Region for disaster recovery. Which combination of S3 features should the engineer use to meet these requirements?
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 SSE-S3 with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Option B is correct because SSE-S3 provides server-side encryption with Amazon S3-managed keys, satisfying the requirement for AWS-managed keys with automatic annual rotation (SSE-S3 keys are rotated at least annually). S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) meets the disaster recovery requirement by automatically replicating objects to a different AWS Region. SSE-S3 encryption is applied at rest in both the source and destination buckets, and CRR works seamlessly with SSE-S3 without additional configuration for key management.
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.
- ✗
Use SSE-S3 with S3 Same-Region Replication (SRR).
Why it's wrong here
SRR replicates within the same region, not across regions, so it does not meet the disaster recovery requirement.
- ✓
Use SSE-S3 with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Why this is correct
SSE-S3 uses Amazon S3-managed keys that are rotated automatically at least annually, satisfying the encryption key management requirement. S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) replicates data to another region for disaster recovery.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use SSE-KMS with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Why it's wrong here
SSE-KMS can use either AWS managed keys (rotated automatically annually) or customer-managed keys. While it is possible to meet the requirement for AWS-managed keys and automatic rotation using the default AWS managed key for S3, SSE-KMS introduces additional complexity for Cross-Region Replication: you must configure the replication role with permissions to decrypt objects in the source region and encrypt them in the destination region using the appropriate KMS keys. SSE-S3 with CRR meets the requirements without this overhead, making it the simpler and correct choice.
- ✗
Use SSE-C with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR).
Why it's wrong here
SSE-C requires the customer to provide and manage their own encryption keys, which does not meet the requirement for AWS-managed keys with automatic rotation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume SSE-KMS is required for compliance or automatic key rotation, but SSE-S3 already provides automatic annual key rotation and is fully managed by AWS, making it the simpler and correct choice for this scenario, while CRR is the only replication option that supports cross-region disaster recovery.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSE-S3 uses AES-256 encryption with keys managed and rotated automatically by AWS at least annually, as per the S3 service documentation. When CRR is enabled with SSE-S3, the replication process decrypts the object in the source bucket using the source SSE-S3 key and re-encrypts it with the destination bucket's SSE-S3 key, ensuring end-to-end encryption without exposing plaintext. In a real-world HIPAA scenario, SSE-S3 is often preferred over SSE-KMS for cross-region replication because it avoids KMS API call costs and regional key policy complexities, while still meeting compliance requirements for encryption at rest.
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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DEA-C01 question test?
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: Use SSE-S3 with S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR). — Option B is correct because SSE-S3 provides server-side encryption with Amazon S3-managed keys, satisfying the requirement for AWS-managed keys with automatic annual rotation (SSE-S3 keys are rotated at least annually). S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) meets the disaster recovery requirement by automatically replicating objects to a different AWS Region. SSE-S3 encryption is applied at rest in both the source and destination buckets, and CRR works seamlessly with SSE-S3 without additional configuration for key management.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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