SAA-C03 Design Cost-Optimized Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design cost-optimized architectures. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.. 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 log archive has old unattached EBS volumes and many stale snapshots. Which two actions reduce storage cost without affecting running instances? The design must avoid adding custom operational scripts.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Delete unattached EBS volumes after verifying they are no longer needed
Option C is correct because deleting unattached EBS volumes eliminates storage costs for volumes that are not in use, and since they are not attached to any running instance, this action does not affect running instances. Option D is correct because applying snapshot lifecycle policies automates the deletion of obsolete snapshots, reducing storage costs without requiring custom scripts or impacting running instances.
Key principle: Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Stop all EC2 instances in the account
Why it's wrong here
Stopping instances does not remove EBS volume or snapshot charges.
✗
Disable CloudTrail logging
Why it's wrong here
Disabling audit logging is not a storage cost optimization for EBS and weakens governance.
✓
Delete unattached EBS volumes after verifying they are no longer needed
Why this is correct
Unattached volumes continue to incur charges until deleted.
Related concept
Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
✓
Apply snapshot lifecycle policies to expire obsolete snapshots
Why this is correct
Lifecycle policies can automate cleanup of old snapshots.
Related concept
Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse stopping instances (which does not delete volumes or snapshots) with deleting resources, or think disabling CloudTrail reduces storage costs, when in fact CloudTrail logs are stored in S3, not EBS, and have separate cost implications.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Unattached EBS volumes incur per-GiB-month charges even when not in use, and stale snapshots (e.g., from automated backups) accumulate costs over time. Snapshot lifecycle policies use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) to automatically expire snapshots based on age or count, reducing storage without manual intervention. Deleting an EBS volume is irreversible unless a snapshot exists, so verifying necessity is critical to avoid data loss.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
Deleting an EBS volume is a permanent action that stops all associated charges.
EBS snapshots are stored in S3 and incur separate storage charges.
Verifying data is no longer needed is crucial before deleting EBS volumes.
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
Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
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 unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — This question tests Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Delete unattached EBS volumes after verifying they are no longer needed — Option C is correct because deleting unattached EBS volumes eliminates storage costs for volumes that are not in use, and since they are not attached to any running instance, this action does not affect running instances. Option D is correct because applying snapshot lifecycle policies automates the deletion of obsolete snapshots, reducing storage costs without requiring custom scripts or impacting running instances.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Review unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type., then practise related SAA-C03 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Unattached EBS volumes still incur charges based on provisioned size and type.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This SAA-C03 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 SAA-C03 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.