- A
Restore the data to S3 Standard-IA and delete after the analysis
Why wrong: Standard-IA has a minimum storage charge and retrieval cost that may be higher than Standard for single access.
- B
Configure the EMR cluster to read directly from Glacier Deep Archive using S3 Console
Why wrong: EMR cannot read directly from Glacier Deep Archive; data must be restored first.
- C
Initiate a Bulk retrieval request and restore the data to S3 Standard for the duration of the analysis
Bulk retrieval is the lowest cost tier, and restoring to Standard avoids IA minimum charges.
- D
Initiate an Expedited retrieval request and use the temporary copy for the EMR cluster
Why wrong: Expedited is more expensive than Bulk and not necessary for a batch job.
Question 1,207 of 1,755
MLS-C01 Data Engineering Practice Question
This MLS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of data engineering. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 research lab stores large genomic datasets in Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive. They need to run a one-time analysis on a subset of 10 PB of data. The analysis will use an Amazon EMR cluster with Amazon S3 as the data source. What is the MOST cost-effective and performant way to make the data available for the EMR cluster?
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
✓
Initiate a Bulk retrieval request and restore the data to S3 Standard for the duration of the analysis
Option C is correct because Bulk retrieval is the most cost-effective retrieval tier for large, non-urgent data from S3 Glacier Deep Archive, completing within 48 hours. Restoring to S3 Standard provides direct, high-throughput access for the EMR cluster, and deleting the data after analysis avoids ongoing storage costs. This approach balances performance (EMR reads from S3 Standard) with minimal cost (Bulk retrieval is the cheapest retrieval option).
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.
- ✗
Restore the data to S3 Standard-IA and delete after the analysis
Why it's wrong here
Standard-IA has a minimum storage charge and retrieval cost that may be higher than Standard for single access.
- ✗
Configure the EMR cluster to read directly from Glacier Deep Archive using S3 Console
Why it's wrong here
EMR cannot read directly from Glacier Deep Archive; data must be restored first.
- ✓
Initiate a Bulk retrieval request and restore the data to S3 Standard for the duration of the analysis
Why this is correct
Bulk retrieval is the lowest cost tier, and restoring to Standard avoids IA minimum charges.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Initiate an Expedited retrieval request and use the temporary copy for the EMR cluster
Why it's wrong here
Expedited is more expensive than Bulk and not necessary for a batch job.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume Expedited retrieval is always the fastest and thus best for performance, ignoring the massive cost difference at petabyte scale and the fact that Bulk retrieval's 48-hour window is acceptable for a one-time analysis.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 Glacier Deep Archive Bulk retrievals typically complete within 48 hours and cost approximately $0.0025 per GB retrieved (vs. $0.03 per GB for Expedited). Once restored, the data is stored as a temporary copy in S3 Standard, which EMR can read using the S3A or S3N connector with high throughput. The 10 PB scale means that even a small per-GB cost difference translates to tens of thousands of dollars, making Bulk retrieval the only viable option for cost-sensitive, non-urgent workloads.
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 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.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MLS-C01 question test?
Data Engineering — This question tests Data Engineering — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Initiate a Bulk retrieval request and restore the data to S3 Standard for the duration of the analysis — Option C is correct because Bulk retrieval is the most cost-effective retrieval tier for large, non-urgent data from S3 Glacier Deep Archive, completing within 48 hours. Restoring to S3 Standard provides direct, high-throughput access for the EMR cluster, and deleting the data after analysis avoids ongoing storage costs. This approach balances performance (EMR reads from S3 Standard) with minimal cost (Bulk retrieval is the cheapest retrieval option).
What should I do if I get this MLS-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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