- A
Update origin responses to include long-lived Cache-Control headers (for example, max-age) so CloudFront can cache objects
CloudFront will only reuse cached objects when the origin response is cacheable. Adding/adjusting Cache-Control (and related directives such as public and s-maxage where appropriate) to allow long-lived caching enables edge reuse and increases cache hit ratio.
- B
Switch the S3 bucket to S3 Glacier so objects are not frequently accessed
Why wrong: Glacier is designed for archival storage and introduces retrieval delays. Static website assets delivered via CloudFront would suffer significant latency and would not meet the low-latency caching goal.
- C
Disable CloudFront compression to reduce CPU usage at the edge
Why wrong: Compression affects transfer size, not whether the response is cacheable. Disabling compression may increase bandwidth and slow downloads, but it does not correct the reason clients are missing cache entries.
- D
Set CloudFront to forward all query strings to the origin to ensure the latest assets are returned
Why wrong: Forwarding query strings increases cache fragmentation by creating more unique cache keys, which typically reduces cache hit ratio. It also does not solve cacheability issues caused by short/no-cache headers.
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. 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.
Your team serves static JavaScript and CSS files from an S3 origin through CloudFront. After a release, the CloudFront cache hit ratio dropped because clients keep re-downloading the same assets. What is the best next change to improve caching performance?
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
Update origin responses to include long-lived Cache-Control headers (for example, max-age) so CloudFront can cache objects
Option A is correct because setting long-lived Cache-Control headers (e.g., max-age=31536000) on static assets tells CloudFront to cache them at edge locations for an extended period. This reduces the number of requests forwarded to the S3 origin, improving the cache hit ratio and preventing clients from re-downloading unchanged assets on every visit.
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.
- ✓
Update origin responses to include long-lived Cache-Control headers (for example, max-age) so CloudFront can cache objects
Why this is correct
CloudFront will only reuse cached objects when the origin response is cacheable. Adding/adjusting Cache-Control (and related directives such as public and s-maxage where appropriate) to allow long-lived caching enables edge reuse and increases cache hit ratio.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Switch the S3 bucket to S3 Glacier so objects are not frequently accessed
Why it's wrong here
Glacier is designed for archival storage and introduces retrieval delays. Static website assets delivered via CloudFront would suffer significant latency and would not meet the low-latency caching goal.
- ✗
Disable CloudFront compression to reduce CPU usage at the edge
Why it's wrong here
Compression affects transfer size, not whether the response is cacheable. Disabling compression may increase bandwidth and slow downloads, but it does not correct the reason clients are missing cache entries.
- ✗
Set CloudFront to forward all query strings to the origin to ensure the latest assets are returned
Why it's wrong here
Forwarding query strings increases cache fragmentation by creating more unique cache keys, which typically reduces cache hit ratio. It also does not solve cacheability issues caused by short/no-cache headers.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think forwarding query strings (Option D) ensures freshness, but it actually fragments the cache and reduces hit ratio, whereas the real solution is to use long-lived Cache-Control headers with versioned filenames to maximize caching.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudFront uses the Cache-Control max-age directive from the origin response to determine how long to cache an object at the edge. For static assets with versioned filenames (e.g., app.abc123.js), a max-age of one year is safe because the URL changes on each release, ensuring clients fetch the new version while old versions remain cached. Without these headers, CloudFront defaults to a shorter cache duration (e.g., 24 hours based on the origin's Last-Modified header), causing frequent revalidation and lower hit ratios.
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 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.
Visual reference
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Update origin responses to include long-lived Cache-Control headers (for example, max-age) so CloudFront can cache objects — Option A is correct because setting long-lived Cache-Control headers (e.g., max-age=31536000) on static assets tells CloudFront to cache them at edge locations for an extended period. This reduces the number of requests forwarded to the S3 origin, improving the cache hit ratio and preventing clients from re-downloading unchanged assets on every visit.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 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: Jun 11, 2026
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