SAA-C03 io2 is a Provisioned IOPS SSD volume type. Practice Question
A media archive requires consistent high IOPS for a transactional database on EC2. Which EBS volume type is most suitable? The architecture review board prefers a managed AWS-native control.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse throughput-optimized HDD (st1) with IOPS requirements, mistakenly thinking high throughput equals high IOPS, but transactional databases need random I/O performance, not sequential throughput.
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
✓
Provisioned IOPS SSD such as io2
The io2 Provisioned IOPS SSD volume type is designed for latency-sensitive transactional workloads that require consistent, high IOPS. It provides a service-level agreement (SLA) of 99.999% durability and supports up to 256,000 IOPS per volume, making it ideal for a database on EC2 that demands predictable performance. As a managed AWS-native EBS volume, it aligns with the architecture review board's preference for a fully AWS-controlled storage solution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Provisioned IOPS SSD such as io2
Why this is correct
Provisioned IOPS SSD volumes such as io2 deliver a guaranteed, consistent level of IOPS that is ideal for media archive databases or applications requiring predictable high random I/O performance. io2 also offers 99.999% durability and, with Block Express, can scale up to 256,000 IOPS per volume, making it the only option that truly meets the stated requirement for sustained high IOPS without compromising persistence.
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st1 Throughput Optimized HDD
Why it's wrong here
st1 Throughput Optimized HDD is engineered for large, sequential workloads like log processing, data warehousing, or streaming media, where raw throughput matters more than random I/O. Even with a maximum throughput of 500 MB/s, st1 caps at roughly 500 IOPS per volume, which is far too low for consistent high IOPS and falls short for transactional or random access patterns required by the media archive.
- ✗
Instance store only
Why it's wrong here
Instance store volumes deliver extremely high random I/O performance and low latency because they are physically attached to the host server, but they are ephemeral and any data is lost if the instance stops, terminates, or the underlying disk fails. A media archive demands durable, persistent storage, so relying solely on instance store would risk total data loss and is therefore unsuitable for long-term archival or consistent high IOPS with reliability.
- ✗
sc1 Cold HDD
Why it's wrong here
sc1 Cold HDD is a cost-optimized volume designed for infrequently accessed data, offering the lowest storage price but also the lowest performance: a maximum of 250 IOPS and 12 MB/s throughput per volume. Its performance is completely inadequate for consistent high IOPS, and it is intended for cold archive workloads where performance is not critical, so it cannot serve a media archive that needs sustained high random I/O.
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 |
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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