SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a legacy .NET application from on-premises Windows servers to AWS. The application uses Windows authentication and requires a shared file storage that supports SMB protocol. The company wants to minimize code changes and use a managed AWS service for file storage. Which AWS service should a solutions architect recommend?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any managed file storage service can replace a Windows file server, overlooking the need for SMB protocol and Windows authentication compatibility.
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 FSx for Windows File Server
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is the only managed AWS file storage service that natively supports SMB protocol and Microsoft Active Directory integration for Windows authentication. It enables the legacy .NET application to migrate to AWS with minimal code changes, as it can continue to use its existing authentication and file access methods.
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 Elastic File System (Amazon EFS)
Why it's wrong here
Amazon EFS supports NFS protocol and is designed for Linux-based workloads. It does not natively support SMB or Windows authentication, so the legacy .NET application would require significant changes to use EFS. This makes it unsuitable for the scenario where minimal code changes are desired.
- ✗
Amazon S3 with S3 File Gateway
Why it's wrong here
Amazon S3 with S3 File Gateway provides SMB access to S3, but it does not support Windows authentication natively; it uses its own authentication mechanisms. It also introduces caching and may not provide the low-latency, consistent file system semantics required by the application. This approach would require changes to authentication and potentially application logic.
- ✓
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Why this is correct
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is a fully managed native Microsoft Windows file system that supports SMB protocol and integrates with Microsoft Active Directory for Windows authentication. It allows the application to continue using Windows authentication and SMB without code changes, meeting the requirements for a managed service and minimal modifications.
- ✗
Amazon FSx for Lustre
Why it's wrong here
Amazon FSx for Lustre is a high-performance file system designed for compute-intensive workloads like HPC and machine learning. It does not support SMB or Windows authentication, making it incompatible with the legacy .NET application's requirements. Using it would necessitate rewriting the application's file access and authentication logic.
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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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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.