- A
Increase the origin's max connections to handle more origin fetches
Why wrong: This addresses capacity but does not reduce the number of origin requests that drive costs.
- B
Configure the CloudFront cache policy so Authorization is not included in the cache key, and use an origin request policy that does not forward Authorization to the S3 origin for this behavior
For public assets, Authorization should not vary the cache key. Removing it from the cache key allows CloudFront to reuse cached objects across requests, and not forwarding it to the origin avoids unnecessary origin variation and request overhead.
- C
Set CloudFront minimum TTL to 0 seconds so caches expire faster and origin fetches start again
Why wrong: This would reduce cache effectiveness and worsen origin traffic rather than improve it.
- D
Disable CloudFront compression because Authorization headers are not cacheable when compression is enabled
Why wrong: Compression settings are not the root cause of the cache hit ratio drop in this case.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure the CloudFront cache policy so Authorization is not included in the cache key, and use an origin request policy that does not forward Authorization to the S3 origin for this behavior. This works because the CloudFront cache key determines how requests are grouped for caching; when the Authorization header is part of that key, every unique header value creates a separate cache entry, even for identical versioned assets. Since the static assets are public, the header is irrelevant for caching, and excluding it allows CloudFront to serve a single cached response to all users, directly restoring the cache hit ratio. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the separation between cache policies (what goes into the cache key) and origin request policies (what is sent to the origin), a common trap where students mistakenly only remove the header from one policy. Remember the mnemonic: "Cache key for grouping, origin policy for forwarding—if it’s not needed for caching, keep it out of the key."
SAA-C03 Design Cost-Optimized Architectures Practice Question
This SAA-C03 practice question tests your understanding of design cost-optimized architectures. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A static marketing site is served through CloudFront from an S3 origin. After a product update, customers report a drop in CloudFront cache hit ratio and the CloudFront bill increases because the origin is receiving many more requests for the same JS/CSS assets. Asset URLs are versioned, but requests now include an Authorization header even though these assets are public. Which CloudFront change most directly improves the cache hit ratio for these assets?
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
Configure the CloudFront cache policy so Authorization is not included in the cache key, and use an origin request policy that does not forward Authorization to the S3 origin for this behavior
The drop in cache hit ratio is caused by the Authorization header being included in the cache key, which makes CloudFront treat each request as unique even when the asset URL is the same. By configuring the cache policy to exclude Authorization from the cache key and using an origin request policy that does not forward it to S3, CloudFront can serve cached responses for all users regardless of their Authorization header, restoring the cache hit ratio.
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.
- ✗
Increase the origin's max connections to handle more origin fetches
Why it's wrong here
This addresses capacity but does not reduce the number of origin requests that drive costs.
- ✓
Configure the CloudFront cache policy so Authorization is not included in the cache key, and use an origin request policy that does not forward Authorization to the S3 origin for this behavior
Why this is correct
For public assets, Authorization should not vary the cache key. Removing it from the cache key allows CloudFront to reuse cached objects across requests, and not forwarding it to the origin avoids unnecessary origin variation and request overhead.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Set CloudFront minimum TTL to 0 seconds so caches expire faster and origin fetches start again
Why it's wrong here
This would reduce cache effectiveness and worsen origin traffic rather than improve it.
- ✗
Disable CloudFront compression because Authorization headers are not cacheable when compression is enabled
Why it's wrong here
Compression settings are not the root cause of the cache hit ratio drop in this case.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think increasing origin capacity or adjusting TTLs solves the problem, but the real issue is that the Authorization header is unnecessarily varying the cache key, which is a common misconfiguration in CloudFront when public assets are served alongside authenticated content.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CloudFront cache keys are composed of request attributes such as URL, query strings, headers, and cookies. When the Authorization header is included in the cache key, each unique header value (e.g., different tokens) creates a separate cache entry, fragmenting the cache and reducing hit ratio. By default, CloudFront does not include Authorization in the cache key, but if a custom cache policy or legacy cache settings forward it, this problem occurs. Using a cache policy that excludes Authorization and an origin request policy that strips it before forwarding to S3 ensures the cache key remains consistent across all users.
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — This question tests Design Cost-Optimized Architectures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the CloudFront cache policy so Authorization is not included in the cache key, and use an origin request policy that does not forward Authorization to the S3 origin for this behavior — The drop in cache hit ratio is caused by the Authorization header being included in the cache key, which makes CloudFront treat each request as unique even when the asset URL is the same. By configuring the cache policy to exclude Authorization from the cache key and using an origin request policy that does not forward it to S3, CloudFront can serve cached responses for all users regardless of their Authorization header, restoring the cache hit ratio.
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
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.
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