- A
Use gp3 for new EBS volumes instead of gp2 when similar performance is enough.
Correct. gp3 decouples baseline performance from volume size, which commonly lowers cost for workloads that do not need gp2's hidden throughput coupling. It is a practical right-sizing move for many general-purpose volumes.
- B
Automate snapshot creation and deletion with Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
Correct. Data Lifecycle Manager removes manual snapshot sprawl and keeps retention aligned to policy. Automation is important here because the problem is not backup absence, but uncontrolled backup growth.
- C
Move old snapshots to the EBS Snapshot Archive tier once they are rarely restored.
Correct. The archive tier is specifically designed for long-term, infrequently restored snapshots. It preserves recovery options at a much lower storage cost than keeping every snapshot in the standard tier.
- D
Keep unattached volumes around for troubleshooting after instance termination.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Leaving orphaned volumes attached to nothing consumes storage indefinitely and directly increases cost. If they are no longer needed, they should be removed or explicitly retained by policy.
- E
Raise provisioned IOPS on every volume so snapshot restore time feels faster.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Higher IOPS increases cost and does not address the real problem, which is unnecessary retained storage and unmanaged snapshots. Restore speed is not improved by paying for extra performance on all volumes.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to move old snapshots to the EBS Snapshot Archive tier once they are rarely restored, because this directly targets the cost of storing unchanged daily snapshots by converting them to a low-cost, long-term retention tier. This works alongside two other key actions: switching test server volumes from gp2 to gp3, which eliminates paying for unused baseline IOPS, and automating snapshot lifecycle management with Data Lifecycle Manager to delete stale snapshots after termination. On the SAA-C03 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cost optimization through tiered storage and automation, with a common trap being to keep all snapshots indefinitely or to ignore volume type migration. Remember the memory tip: “Archive the old, automate the cold, and gp3 for the gold” to recall that archiving infrequently accessed snapshots, using DLM policies, and choosing gp3 volumes are the three pillars of reducing EBS storage costs while preserving recovery options.
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. 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 fleet of test servers is rebuilt every week from AMIs. EBS volumes are often left behind after termination, and the team creates daily snapshots of every volume even when nothing changes. Which three actions most reduce storage cost while preserving recovery options? Select three.
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
Use gp3 for new EBS volumes instead of gp2 when similar performance is enough.
Option A is correct because gp3 volumes offer a baseline performance that is often sufficient for test servers, and they are typically more cost-effective than gp2 volumes for the same amount of storage. By using gp3, you avoid paying for the additional IOPS that gp2 includes by default, which can reduce costs when the workload does not require high performance. This directly addresses the goal of reducing storage costs while maintaining adequate performance for recovery purposes.
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.
- ✓
Use gp3 for new EBS volumes instead of gp2 when similar performance is enough.
Why this is correct
Correct. gp3 decouples baseline performance from volume size, which commonly lowers cost for workloads that do not need gp2's hidden throughput coupling. It is a practical right-sizing move for many general-purpose volumes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Automate snapshot creation and deletion with Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
Why this is correct
Correct. Data Lifecycle Manager removes manual snapshot sprawl and keeps retention aligned to policy. Automation is important here because the problem is not backup absence, but uncontrolled backup growth.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Move old snapshots to the EBS Snapshot Archive tier once they are rarely restored.
Why this is correct
Correct. The archive tier is specifically designed for long-term, infrequently restored snapshots. It preserves recovery options at a much lower storage cost than keeping every snapshot in the standard tier.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Keep unattached volumes around for troubleshooting after instance termination.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Leaving orphaned volumes attached to nothing consumes storage indefinitely and directly increases cost. If they are no longer needed, they should be removed or explicitly retained by policy.
- ✗
Raise provisioned IOPS on every volume so snapshot restore time feels faster.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Higher IOPS increases cost and does not address the real problem, which is unnecessary retained storage and unmanaged snapshots. Restore speed is not improved by paying for extra performance on all volumes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think keeping unattached volumes is useful for troubleshooting, but snapshots already provide the same data recovery capability without ongoing storage costs, and raising IOPS is mistakenly believed to speed up snapshot restore, when in fact it does not affect restore performance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) automates the creation and deletion of EBS snapshots based on policies, ensuring that only necessary snapshots are retained and that old ones are removed, which directly reduces storage costs. The EBS Snapshot Archive tier offers a lower-cost storage option for snapshots that are rarely accessed, with a retrieval time of 24–72 hours, making it ideal for long-term retention of infrequently restored snapshots. Under the hood, gp3 volumes provide a baseline of 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s throughput for any size, with the ability to provision additional IOPS and throughput independently, whereas gp2 volumes provide a baseline of 3 IOPS per GiB (up to 16,000 IOPS) and burst credits, which can lead to over-provisioning for low-utilization workloads.
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 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
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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: Use gp3 for new EBS volumes instead of gp2 when similar performance is enough. — Option A is correct because gp3 volumes offer a baseline performance that is often sufficient for test servers, and they are typically more cost-effective than gp2 volumes for the same amount of storage. By using gp3, you avoid paying for the additional IOPS that gp2 includes by default, which can reduce costs when the workload does not require high performance. This directly addresses the goal of reducing storage costs while maintaining adequate performance for recovery purposes.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SAA-C03
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A fleet of test servers is rebuilt every week from AMIs. EBS volumes are often left behind after termination, and the team creates daily snapshots of every volume even when nothing changes. Which three actions most reduce storage cost while preserving recovery options? Select three.
hard- ✓ A.Use gp3 for new EBS volumes instead of gp2 when similar performance is enough.
- ✓ B.Automate snapshot creation and deletion with Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.
- ✓ C.Move old snapshots to the EBS Snapshot Archive tier once they are rarely restored.
- D.Keep unattached volumes around for troubleshooting after instance termination.
- E.Raise provisioned IOPS on every volume so snapshot restore time feels faster.
Why A: Option A is correct because gp3 volumes offer a baseline performance that is often sufficient for test server workloads, and they are typically more cost-effective than gp2 volumes when similar performance is adequate. By using gp3, you avoid paying for provisioned IOPS that you do not need, directly reducing storage costs without sacrificing recovery options.
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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