- A
Set the CloudWatch Logs retention policy on the log group to 90 days.
This ensures logs are deleted after 90 days.
- B
Set an S3 lifecycle policy on the destination bucket to transition objects to Glacier after 90 days.
Why wrong: This is for objects already in S3, not for the initial move.
- C
Create a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter to stream logs to Amazon S3 in real time.
Why wrong: Subscription filters stream to Lambda, Kinesis, or Elasticsearch, not directly to S3.
- D
Configure a CloudWatch Logs lifecycle policy to transition logs to Amazon S3 after 90 days.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs does not have a lifecycle policy to S3.
- E
Create a CloudWatch Logs export task to export logs to Amazon S3 before the retention period expires.
Export task copies logs to S3 for long-term storage.
Quick Answer
The answer is to set a 90-day retention policy on the CloudWatch Logs log group and create an export task to S3 before that retention expires. This works because CloudWatch Logs retention policies automatically delete logs after the specified period, while export tasks copy log data to an S3 bucket for long-term archival; there is no native lifecycle policy that moves logs directly from CloudWatch to S3. On the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding that CloudWatch Logs and S3 are separate services requiring an explicit export action, and a common trap is assuming an S3 lifecycle policy can replace the export task—it cannot, as lifecycle rules only manage objects already in S3. Remember the key distinction: retention deletes, export archives. For a memory tip, think "Set and Ship"—set the retention period, then ship the logs to S3 before they vanish.
DOP-C02 Monitoring and Logging Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of monitoring and logging. 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 company uses Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. They have a requirement to retain logs for 90 days for operational analysis and then archive them to Amazon S3 for compliance purposes for an additional 5 years. Which of the following steps are necessary to meet this requirement? (Select TWO.)
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
Set the CloudWatch Logs retention policy on the log group to 90 days.
Option D is correct because you can set a retention policy on the log group to expire logs after 90 days (e.g., 90 days). Option E is correct because to archive logs to S3, you can use CloudWatch Logs export task to S3 (manual or automated). Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not have a lifecycle policy directly to S3; export is needed. Option B is wrong because S3 lifecycle transitions are for objects already in S3, not for logs in CloudWatch. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch does not automatically archive; you must export.
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.
- ✓
Set the CloudWatch Logs retention policy on the log group to 90 days.
Why this is correct
This ensures logs are deleted after 90 days.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Set an S3 lifecycle policy on the destination bucket to transition objects to Glacier after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
This is for objects already in S3, not for the initial move.
- ✗
Create a CloudWatch Logs subscription filter to stream logs to Amazon S3 in real time.
Why it's wrong here
Subscription filters stream to Lambda, Kinesis, or Elasticsearch, not directly to S3.
- ✗
Configure a CloudWatch Logs lifecycle policy to transition logs to Amazon S3 after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs does not have a lifecycle policy to S3.
- ✓
Create a CloudWatch Logs export task to export logs to Amazon S3 before the retention period expires.
Why this is correct
Export task copies logs to S3 for long-term storage.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 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.
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 DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Monitoring and Logging — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DOP-C02 question test?
Monitoring and Logging — This question tests Monitoring and Logging — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set the CloudWatch Logs retention policy on the log group to 90 days. — Option D is correct because you can set a retention policy on the log group to expire logs after 90 days (e.g., 90 days). Option E is correct because to archive logs to S3, you can use CloudWatch Logs export task to S3 (manual or automated). Option A is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not have a lifecycle policy directly to S3; export is needed. Option B is wrong because S3 lifecycle transitions are for objects already in S3, not for logs in CloudWatch. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch does not automatically archive; you must export.
What should I do if I get this DOP-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 DOP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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 DOP-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 DOP-C02 exam.
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