- A
Deploy all resources in a single AWS region that meets the data residency requirement.
Deploying in a single region physically constrains data to that region, directly meeting data residency requirements.
- B
Use S3 bucket policies to deny access if the request comes from outside the required region.
Bucket policies control access but not data location; they cannot ensure data stays within the required region.
- C
Use Amazon CloudFront to serve content from edge locations.
Why wrong: CloudFront edge locations cache content globally, potentially storing data outside the required region.
- D
Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) with customer managed keys.
Why wrong: KMS manages encryption keys and does not affect where data is stored; it does not enforce data residency.
- E
Enable cross-Region replication for data stored in Amazon S3.
Why wrong: Cross-region replication explicitly copies data to another region, violating data residency requirements.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 is designing a new application on AWS that will store sensitive user data. The application must comply with data residency requirements, meaning data must remain within a specific geographic region. Which TWO architectural decisions should a Solutions Architect make to ensure compliance?
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
Deploy all resources in a single AWS region that meets the data residency requirement.
The question asks for two architectural decisions, but among the given options, only Option A directly ensures data residency by keeping all resources in a single AWS region that meets the requirement. AWS regions are isolated, and data does not move between regions unless explicitly configured. Option B controls access via S3 bucket policies but does not guarantee data stays in the region. Option C uses CloudFront edge locations, which may cache data globally, violating residency. Option D (KMS) handles encryption keys, not data location. Option E (cross-region replication) explicitly moves data to another region, violating residency. A common second correct decision would be using AWS Organizations service control policies (SCPs) to restrict resource creation to the required region, but this is not listed. Therefore, only Option A is correct for the available choices.
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.
- ✓
Deploy all resources in a single AWS region that meets the data residency requirement.
Why this is correct
Deploying in a single region physically constrains data to that region, directly meeting data residency requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Use S3 bucket policies to deny access if the request comes from outside the required region.
Why this is correct
Bucket policies control access but not data location; they cannot ensure data stays within the required region.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Amazon CloudFront to serve content from edge locations.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront edge locations cache content globally, potentially storing data outside the required region.
- ✗
Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) with customer managed keys.
Why it's wrong here
KMS manages encryption keys and does not affect where data is stored; it does not enforce data residency.
- ✗
Enable cross-Region replication for data stored in Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-region replication explicitly copies data to another region, violating data residency requirements.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates expect a second correct answer among the options, but only Option A directly enforces data residency. They may mistakenly choose CloudFront (C) or bucket policies (B) thinking these control location, but they do not.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Data residency compliance relies on the physical location of storage and processing infrastructure. AWS regions are composed of multiple Availability Zones, and data stored in a region (e.g., S3 objects, DynamoDB tables) remains within that region unless replication or backup policies are configured. CloudFront edge locations are not regions; they are caches that may store data temporarily, and AWS does not guarantee data stays within a specific region when using CloudFront unless using origin shielding or field-level encryption.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
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 |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Design for New Solutions — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Design for New Solutions — This question tests Design for New Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy all resources in a single AWS region that meets the data residency requirement. — The question asks for two architectural decisions, but among the given options, only Option A directly ensures data residency by keeping all resources in a single AWS region that meets the requirement. AWS regions are isolated, and data does not move between regions unless explicitly configured. Option B controls access via S3 bucket policies but does not guarantee data stays in the region. Option C uses CloudFront edge locations, which may cache data globally, violating residency. Option D (KMS) handles encryption keys, not data location. Option E (cross-region replication) explicitly moves data to another region, violating residency. A common second correct decision would be using AWS Organizations service control policies (SCPs) to restrict resource creation to the required region, but this is not listed. Therefore, only Option A is correct for the available choices.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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