SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
A company is designing a new application that requires low-latency access to a shared dataset across multiple EC2 instances in the same AWS Region. The dataset is updated frequently. Which storage solution should the company use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse block storage (EBS) with shared file storage, assuming EBS can be attached to multiple instances simultaneously, or they overlook the latency and protocol differences between object storage (S3) and file storage (EFS) for shared, low-latency workloads.
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
✓
Amazon EFS
Amazon EFS provides a fully managed, NFS-based shared file system that can be mounted concurrently by multiple EC2 instances across different Availability Zones within the same AWS Region. It offers low-latency access and supports frequent updates through its standard storage class, making it ideal for shared datasets that require consistent, low-latency performance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage, not a file system, and may have higher latency.
- ✗
Amazon EBS with Provisioned IOPS
Why it's wrong here
EBS volumes cannot be shared across multiple EC2 instances (except Multi-Attach, which is limited).
- ✗
Amazon S3 Glacier
Why it's wrong here
Glacier is for archival storage, not for active use.
- ✓
Amazon EFS
Why this is correct
EFS is a scalable file system that can be mounted on multiple EC2 instances.
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 |
Go deeper
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This SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 exam.