- A
Store the state file locally and commit it to version control.
Why wrong: Not a best practice; state files should not be in version control.
- B
Use DynamoDB for state locking and enable consistency checks.
Prevents concurrent modifications that cause corruption.
- C
Use S3 server-side encryption to protect the state file.
Why wrong: Does not prevent corruption.
- D
Enable S3 versioning on the state bucket to recover previous versions.
Why wrong: Does not prevent corruption; only aids recovery.
Question 1,688 of 1,750
DOP-C02 Configuration Management and IaC Practice Question
This DOP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of configuration management and iac. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 Terraform with an S3 backend to manage infrastructure. The DevOps engineer notices that after a colleague runs 'terraform apply' locally, the state file in S3 becomes corrupted and subsequent runs fail. What is the BEST way to prevent this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 DynamoDB for state locking and enable consistency checks.
Option B is correct because enabling DynamoDB for state locking prevents concurrent modifications that can corrupt the state file. When a user runs 'terraform apply', Terraform acquires a lock in DynamoDB, ensuring only one operation modifies the state at a time. Consistency checks (e.g., using DynamoDB's conditional writes) further validate that the state hasn't been tampered with, directly addressing the corruption issue.
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.
- ✗
Store the state file locally and commit it to version control.
Why it's wrong here
Not a best practice; state files should not be in version control.
- ✓
Use DynamoDB for state locking and enable consistency checks.
Why this is correct
Prevents concurrent modifications that cause corruption.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use S3 server-side encryption to protect the state file.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent corruption.
- ✗
Enable S3 versioning on the state bucket to recover previous versions.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent corruption; only aids recovery.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse recovery mechanisms (like S3 versioning) with prevention mechanisms (like state locking), leading them to choose Option D even though it only mitigates damage after corruption occurs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Terraform's S3 backend uses DynamoDB for state locking by creating a table with a primary key (LockID) and performing conditional PutItem operations to acquire the lock. If a second apply attempts to write without releasing the lock, DynamoDB's conditional check fails, preventing the write. In real-world scenarios, teams often combine DynamoDB locking with S3 versioning for both prevention and recovery, but the question specifically asks for the best way to prevent corruption, which locking addresses directly.
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 DOP-C02 question test?
Configuration Management and IaC — This question tests Configuration Management and IaC — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use DynamoDB for state locking and enable consistency checks. — Option B is correct because enabling DynamoDB for state locking prevents concurrent modifications that can corrupt the state file. When a user runs 'terraform apply', Terraform acquires a lock in DynamoDB, ensuring only one operation modifies the state at a time. Consistency checks (e.g., using DynamoDB's conditional writes) further validate that the state hasn't been tampered with, directly addressing the corruption issue.
What should I do if I get this DOP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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