DEA-C01 Data Store Management Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are valid storage classes in Amazon S3? (Choose THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
AWS often tests the distinction between valid S3 storage classes and fabricated names like 'S3 Archive' or 'S3 Cold', expecting candidates to recall the exact naming conventions (e.g., S3 Glacier, S3 Glacier Deep Archive) rather than generic terms.
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
✓
S3 Standard
S3 Standard (A) is a valid storage class designed for frequently accessed data with low latency and high throughput, and it is the default class for S3 objects. S3 Intelligent-Tiering (C) is a valid class that automatically moves objects between access tiers based on changing access patterns, charging a small monitoring and automation fee. S3 One Zone-IA (E) is a valid class that stores data in a single Availability Zone at lower cost, intended for infrequently accessed data that can be easily recreated. The other options are not real S3 storage classes: S3 Archive (B) does not exist — the archival class is S3 Glacier, and S3 Cold (D) is not a class either, as the closest real classes are S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval and S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
S3 Standard
Why this is correct
S3 Standard is a genuine storage class, designed for frequently accessed data with low latency and high throughput, replicated across a minimum of three Availability Zones. It satisfies the question's requirement for a valid Amazon S3 storage class.
- ✗
S3 Archive
Why it's wrong here
S3 Archive is not a storage class; the archival tiers are S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval, Glacier Flexible Retrieval and Glacier Deep Archive. It is tempting because Glacier classes serve exactly that cold-archive purpose, so the descriptive name sounds like a real tier.
- ✓
S3 Intelligent-Tiering
Why this is correct
S3 Intelligent-Tiering is a valid storage class that automatically moves objects between access tiers based on changing access patterns, charging a small monitoring fee. It requires no retrieval fees and satisfies the question's requirement for a valid Amazon S3 storage class.
- ✗
S3 Cold
Why it's wrong here
S3 Cold does not exist; the infrequent-access tiers are S3 Standard-IA and S3 One Zone-IA. It is tempting because cold data is a genuine concept and other providers market cold-storage tiers, so the label appears plausible despite not being an Amazon S3 class.
- ✓
S3 One Zone-IA
Why this is correct
S3 One Zone-IA is a valid storage class storing infrequently accessed data in a single Availability Zone at lower cost than S3 Standard-IA, though it lacks multi-AZ resilience. It satisfies the question's requirement for a valid Amazon S3 storage class.
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 by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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