- A
Amazon EBS General Purpose (gp3) volumes to persist intermediate results across reboots.
Why wrong: EBS is durable across reboots, which is unnecessary cost and doesn’t maximize local scratch throughput.
- B
Amazon EFS for a shared file system between multiple instances.
Why wrong: EFS is for shared, durable storage and typically adds network latency compared with local scratch needs.
- C
Instance store for local temporary files that can be lost when the instance stops.
Instance store is designed for temporary high-performance local storage and is acceptable when loss is tolerable.
- D
Amazon S3 for scratch data so it is always durable and accessible from anywhere.
Why wrong: S3 is durable but not optimized for the lowest-latency scratch I/O pattern inside a single compute node.
SAA-C03 Design High-Performing Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design high-performing architectures. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.. 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 compute workload uses temporary scratch space for intermediate results (reproducible), and it can tolerate data loss if the instance is terminated. The workload benefits from very high local I/O throughput. Which storage option is the best fit for the scratch data?
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
Instance store for local temporary files that can be lost when the instance stops.
Instance store volumes provide very high local I/O throughput because they are physically attached to the host server. Since the workload can tolerate data loss and the scratch data is reproducible, the ephemeral nature of instance store is acceptable, and it offers the best performance for temporary, high-throughput scratch space.
Key principle: Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon EBS General Purpose (gp3) volumes to persist intermediate results across reboots.
Why it's wrong here
EBS is durable across reboots, which is unnecessary cost and doesn’t maximize local scratch throughput.
- ✗
Amazon EFS for a shared file system between multiple instances.
Why it's wrong here
EFS is for shared, durable storage and typically adds network latency compared with local scratch needs.
- ✓
Instance store for local temporary files that can be lost when the instance stops.
Why this is correct
Instance store is designed for temporary high-performance local storage and is acceptable when loss is tolerable.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.
- ✗
Amazon S3 for scratch data so it is always durable and accessible from anywhere.
Why it's wrong here
S3 is durable but not optimized for the lowest-latency scratch I/O pattern inside a single compute node.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
AWS often tests the distinction between persistent block storage (EBS) and ephemeral instance store, where candidates mistakenly choose EBS for its persistence even when the workload explicitly tolerates data loss and requires maximum local I/O throughput.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Instance store volumes are NVMe-based SSDs directly attached to the EC2 host, offering up to 3.3 million IOPS and 16 GB/s throughput per instance (e.g., i3en instances). They are ephemeral because the data persists only during the instance's lifetime; stopping or terminating the instance erases all data, which aligns with the workload's tolerance for data loss. This makes instance store ideal for high-performance caching, temporary processing, or scratch space in big data analytics.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.
- Data on an instance store volume is lost when the instance is stopped, terminated, or fails.
- Instance store offers very high random I/O performance and low latency.
- It is ideal for temporary scratch space, caches, and buffer files.
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
Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.
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 instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design High-Performing Architectures — This question tests Design High-Performing Architectures — Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Instance store for local temporary files that can be lost when the instance stops. — Instance store volumes provide very high local I/O throughput because they are physically attached to the host server. Since the workload can tolerate data loss and the scratch data is reproducible, the ephemeral nature of instance store is acceptable, and it offers the best performance for temporary, high-throughput scratch space.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Review instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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?
Instance store provides temporary block-level storage for an EC2 instance.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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