- A
Create an AWS Glue table or use Athena's CREATE TABLE statement to define the schema of the Flow Logs.
Athena needs a table definition to query the data.
- B
Ensure the Flow Logs are delivered in GZIP format (default) or uncompressed.
Athena supports GZIP compressed CSV files.
- C
Deliver VPC Flow Logs from each account to a centralized S3 bucket in the logging account.
Centralized storage is needed for cross-account analysis.
- D
Replicate the S3 bucket to a single AWS Region for consistency.
Why wrong: Flow Logs should be delivered to a single region; cross-region replication adds latency and cost.
- E
Configure a Kinesis Data Firehose delivery stream to convert Flow Logs to Parquet format.
Why wrong: Parquet conversion is optional but not required; Athena can query GZIP CSV.
Quick Answer
The answer is to deliver VPC Flow Logs from each account to a centralized S3 bucket in the logging account, define an Athena table over that data, and ensure the logs are delivered in GZIP format. This works because Athena queries data directly in S3 using schema-on-read, so a table must be created in the Glue Data Catalog to define the column structure of the Flow Logs. The centralized S3 bucket acts as the single source of truth for the security team, while GZIP compression is the native format Athena supports without additional transformation. On the SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cross-account log aggregation without unnecessary services—a common trap is choosing Kinesis Data Firehose, which adds cost and complexity when direct S3 delivery suffices. Another pitfall is forgetting that Athena queries must run in the same AWS Region as the S3 bucket containing the logs. Memory tip: think “Bucket, Table, GZIP” as the three pillars for cross-account Athena analysis.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions for organizational complexity. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 company has a multi-account AWS environment with a centralized logging account. The security team needs to analyze VPC Flow Logs from all accounts using Amazon Athena. Which THREE steps are required to enable this analysis? (Choose 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
Create an AWS Glue table or use Athena's CREATE TABLE statement to define the schema of the Flow Logs.
Option B is correct because Athena requires a table defined over the data. Option C is correct because Flow Logs should be stored in a central S3 bucket. Option D is correct because Flow Logs are delivered to S3 in GZIP format, which Athena can query. Option A is incorrect because Kinesis Data Firehose is not needed; Flow Logs can go directly to S3. Option E is incorrect because the logs must be in the same region as the Athena queries.
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.
- ✓
Create an AWS Glue table or use Athena's CREATE TABLE statement to define the schema of the Flow Logs.
Why this is correct
Athena needs a table definition to query the data.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Ensure the Flow Logs are delivered in GZIP format (default) or uncompressed.
Why this is correct
Athena supports GZIP compressed CSV files.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Deliver VPC Flow Logs from each account to a centralized S3 bucket in the logging account.
Why this is correct
Centralized storage is needed for cross-account analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Replicate the S3 bucket to a single AWS Region for consistency.
Why it's wrong here
Flow Logs should be delivered to a single region; cross-region replication adds latency and cost.
- ✗
Configure a Kinesis Data Firehose delivery stream to convert Flow Logs to Parquet format.
Why it's wrong here
Parquet conversion is optional but not required; Athena can query GZIP CSV.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — This question tests Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an AWS Glue table or use Athena's CREATE TABLE statement to define the schema of the Flow Logs. — Option B is correct because Athena requires a table defined over the data. Option C is correct because Flow Logs should be stored in a central S3 bucket. Option D is correct because Flow Logs are delivered to S3 in GZIP format, which Athena can query. Option A is incorrect because Kinesis Data Firehose is not needed; Flow Logs can go directly to S3. Option E is incorrect because the logs must be in the same region as the Athena queries.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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.
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