- A
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering to automatically move data between access tiers.
Why wrong: Intelligent-Tiering is effective when access patterns are unknown, but here the pattern is known and predictable, so a lifecycle policy is cheaper.
- B
Transition to S3 One Zone-IA after 30 days, then delete after 90 days.
Why wrong: One Zone-IA is not recommended for compliance data due to lower durability, and deletion after 90 days does not meet retention requirements.
- C
Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Standard-IA is cost-effective for infrequent access after 30 days, and Deep Archive provides the lowest cost for long-term compliance.
- D
Transition to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Why wrong: Transitioning to Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 30 days is too early given frequent access; Standard-IA is more cost-effective for infrequent access.
Quick Answer
The answer is to transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days. This is the most cost-effective lifecycle policy because it aligns storage costs with access patterns: Standard-IA offers lower per-GB storage fees than Standard for data accessed infrequently, while Glacier Deep Archive provides the absolute lowest cost for long-term compliance retention where retrieval latency is acceptable. On the AWS Certified Developer Associate DVA-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match lifecycle transitions to specific business requirements, often with traps like S3 One Zone-IA (which sacrifices durability for cost) or S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (which is pricier than Deep Archive for purely archival data). A common memory tip is to think of the 30-90-90 rule: 30 days for IA, 90 days for Deep Archive, and 90 days for compliance—just remember that Deep Archive is the cheapest option for data you hope to never touch.
DVA-C02 Troubleshooting and Optimization Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting and optimization. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 developer is optimizing an S3 bucket that stores large CSV files for analytics. The files are accessed frequently for the first 30 days, then rarely accessed. After 90 days, the data must be retained for compliance but accessed infrequently. What is the MOST cost-effective lifecycle policy?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Option D is correct because it transitions to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days (when access becomes rare) and to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days (for long-term compliance with lowest cost). Option A is wrong because S3 One Zone-IA is less durable. Option B is wrong because S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval is more expensive than Deep Archive for long-term storage. Option C is wrong because S3 Intelligent-Tiering has monitoring costs and is not needed if access patterns are known.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 Intelligent-Tiering to automatically move data between access tiers.
Why it's wrong here
Intelligent-Tiering is effective when access patterns are unknown, but here the pattern is known and predictable, so a lifecycle policy is cheaper.
- ✗
Transition to S3 One Zone-IA after 30 days, then delete after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
One Zone-IA is not recommended for compliance data due to lower durability, and deletion after 90 days does not meet retention requirements.
- ✓
Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Why this is correct
Standard-IA is cost-effective for infrequent access after 30 days, and Deep Archive provides the lowest cost for long-term compliance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Transition to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
Transitioning to Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 30 days is too early given frequent access; Standard-IA is more cost-effective for infrequent access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DVA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Troubleshooting and Optimization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Troubleshooting and Optimization — This question tests Troubleshooting and Optimization — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days. — Option D is correct because it transitions to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days (when access becomes rare) and to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days (for long-term compliance with lowest cost). Option A is wrong because S3 One Zone-IA is less durable. Option B is wrong because S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval is more expensive than Deep Archive for long-term storage. Option C is wrong because S3 Intelligent-Tiering has monitoring costs and is not needed if access patterns are known.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related DVA-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This DVA-C02 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 DVA-C02 exam.
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