SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating an on-premises application to AWS. The application requires low-latency access to a file system that can be mounted by multiple EC2 instances simultaneously. Which AWS storage service should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is treating S3 as a general-purpose file system because it's the most familiar AWS storage service — but S3 is object storage and cannot be mounted as a shared POSIX filesystem without third-party gateways.
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 is a fully managed, elastic NFS file system that can be mounted concurrently by thousands of EC2 instances across multiple Availability Zones, providing the shared low-latency POSIX access the application needs. It scales automatically and is the canonical AWS answer for multi-attach Linux file storage.
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 EFS
Why this is correct
Amazon EFS provides a shared, elastic NFS file system mountable concurrently by many EC2 instances across Availability Zones, with low latency. This satisfies the stem's requirement for simultaneous multi-instance access to a shared file system.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage, not a file system.
- ✗
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server
Why it's wrong here
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides SMB-based shared file storage designed for Windows workloads, but the scenario does not specify a Windows environment or Active Directory dependency. The requirement is low-latency access from multiple EC2 instances, which FSx for Windows can deliver, but it is tempting because it offers a fully managed, shared file system. It would be correct if the application required native Windows file sharing, SMB protocol, or integration with Microsoft Entra ID.
- ✗
Amazon EBS
Why it's wrong here
EBS volumes are block storage, typically attached to one instance.
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.