SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a batch processing workload to AWS. The workload reads input files from an on-premises NFS server, processes them, and writes output files. The company wants to use AWS managed services and minimize operational overhead. Which TWO AWS services should the company use to replace the on-premises NFS server? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
AWS DataSync to transfer files from on-premises to Amazon EFS.
Options B and E are correct. AWS DataSync efficiently transfers data from the on-premises NFS server to Amazon EFS, and Amazon EFS provides a fully managed NFS file system that the batch processing workload can use directly. Option A (S3 with S3 File Gateway) is not ideal because S3 File Gateway presents S3 as a file share but adds complexity. Option C (Storage Gateway File Gateway) can provide an NFS mount, but DataSync is specifically for data transfer, and for ongoing access, EFS is better. Option D (EBS with shared snapshot) is wrong because EBS is block storage, not file, and shared snapshots do not provide a writable file system.
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 with S3 File Gateway.
Why it's wrong here
S3 File Gateway provides NFS but is not a fully managed file system.
- ✓
AWS DataSync to transfer files from on-premises to Amazon EFS.
Why this is correct
DataSync automates data transfer to AWS.
- ✗
AWS Storage Gateway File Gateway.
Why it's wrong here
File Gateway provides NFS, but EFS is more native.
- ✗
Amazon EBS with a shared snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
EBS volumes cannot be shared across instances.
- ✓
Amazon EFS (Elastic File System).
Why this is correct
EFS provides a scalable NFS file system for 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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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SAP-C02
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 company is migrating a batch processing workload to AWS. The workload runs on a scheduled basis and processes large files from an on-premises NFS share. The company wants to use AWS services to replace the on-premises server and minimize operational overhead. Which solution is MOST suitable?
medium- A.Use AWS Lambda to directly read from the NFS share over VPN and process the files.
- ✓ B.Mount the on-premises NFS share to Amazon EFS using AWS Direct Connect, and use AWS Batch with AWS Fargate to process the files.
- C.Use AWS Snowball Edge to transfer files to Amazon S3 and then process with EC2 instances.
- D.Use AWS DataSync to copy files to Amazon S3 and trigger an AWS Lambda function to process.
Why B: AWS Batch with AWS Fargate is a serverless compute service that integrates with Amazon EFS. By mounting the on-premises NFS share to EFS via AWS Direct Connect, files are accessible in AWS without copying. AWS Batch can then process the files on a scheduled basis, minimizing operational overhead. Option A is wrong because AWS Lambda has execution time and file size limits, and directly reading from NFS over VPN may be unreliable. Option C is wrong because Snowball Edge is a one-time transfer tool, not suitable for ongoing scheduled processing. Option D is wrong because while DataSync can copy files to S3, triggering Lambda has similar limitations, and using EC2 adds management overhead.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.