- A
AWS Secrets Manager
Why wrong: Secrets Manager is for secrets, not general config.
- B
Amazon S3
Why wrong: S3 is general object storage.
- C
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Parameter Store is designed for configuration management.
- D
Amazon DynamoDB
Why wrong: DynamoDB is a database.
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 needs to store configuration files for multiple environments (dev, test, prod) and retrieve them programmatically with versioning and access control. Which AWS service should be used?
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 Systems Manager Parameter Store
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store is the correct choice because it is designed to store configuration data and secrets hierarchically (e.g., /dev/config, /prod/config) with built-in versioning and fine-grained access control via IAM policies. It supports retrieval programmatically through the AWS SDK, CLI, or API, and integrates natively with other AWS services for parameter updates and notifications.
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.
- ✗
AWS Secrets Manager
Why it's wrong here
Secrets Manager is for secrets, not general config.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is general object storage.
- ✓
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
Why this is correct
Parameter Store is designed for configuration management.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon DynamoDB
Why it's wrong here
DynamoDB is a database.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Secrets Manager with Parameter Store because both can store secure strings, but Secrets Manager lacks hierarchical path support and is overkill for non-secret configuration files, while Parameter Store is purpose-built for hierarchical config management with versioning.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store supports two tiers: Standard (up to 10,000 parameters, 4 KB size, free) and Advanced (up to 100,000 parameters, 8 KB size, with policies like expiration and notification). It uses a hierarchical path structure (e.g., /app/env/param) that mirrors file system paths, enabling IAM policies to grant access at specific path prefixes, which is ideal for multi-environment configurations. Versioning is automatic and immutable; each update increments the version number, and you can reference a specific version via the ARN (e.g., arn:aws:ssm:region:account:parameter/name:version).
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.
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: AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store — AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store is the correct choice because it is designed to store configuration data and secrets hierarchically (e.g., /dev/config, /prod/config) with built-in versioning and fine-grained access control via IAM policies. It supports retrieval programmatically through the AWS SDK, CLI, or API, and integrates natively with other AWS services for parameter updates and notifications.
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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