Question 1mediummulti select
Full question →mediummulti selectObjective-mapped
A marketing site serves versioned JavaScript and CSS files from Amazon S3 through CloudFront. The origin bill is rising because CloudFront keeps fetching the same files too often, and the application never changes a file at the same URL once it is published. Which two changes should you make? Select two.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Set long-lived Cache-Control headers, such as a high max-age and immutable policy, on the versioned assets.
Versioned assets are ideal for long cache lifetimes because their URLs change when the content changes. Strong Cache-Control headers let CloudFront serve more requests from edge locations instead of repeatedly fetching the same files from S3.
B
Best answer
Configure the CloudFront cache policy to avoid forwarding unnecessary query strings, headers, and cookies.
A smaller cache key improves the cache hit rate because more viewer requests map to the same cached object. Avoiding unnecessary request attributes also reduces origin fetches and lowers the bandwidth sent to the origin.
C
Distractor review
Move the static assets to an EC2 web server behind an Application Load Balancer.
This adds infrastructure cost and operational overhead without addressing the root cause of the problem. The issue is poor cache efficiency, not the inability of S3 to serve the files.
D
Distractor review
Disable CloudFront caching so every request always reaches the origin.
Disabling caching would increase origin traffic and make the bill worse. The scenario specifically needs fewer origin fetches, so this is the opposite of the desired outcome.
E
Distractor review
Add more viewer-facing headers to the cache key so each browser variation gets a unique cached object.
Expanding the cache key usually lowers the hit rate because more requests become unique. That increases origin traffic and defeats the purpose of using CloudFront to reduce cost.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A team needs to distribute TCP traffic (not HTTP) across multiple services. The services must see the original client source IP for auditing. Which AWS load balancer is the best fit?
Question 2
A team wants to run containerized services with AWS-managed orchestration and autoscaling. They do NOT require Kubernetes compatibility. Which AWS service choice is most appropriate to meet these goals?
Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set long-lived Cache-Control headers, such as a high max-age and immutable policy, on the versioned assets. — For versioned static assets, the lowest-cost approach is to let CloudFront cache them aggressively and keep the cache key as small as possible. Long-lived Cache-Control headers mean the same file can be served from edge caches for a long time, while avoiding unnecessary query strings, headers, and cookies improves cache hit rate. Both changes reduce S3 origin fetches and lower data transfer costs. Why others are wrong: Moving static assets to EC2 adds cost and management effort without improving caching efficiency. Disabling caching directly increases origin traffic. Expanding the cache key with more headers fragments the cache and reduces the hit rate, which is the opposite of the goal.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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