- A
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier for the remainder.
Why wrong: Glacier retrieval might be faster than 12 hours but more expensive.
- B
Store logs in Amazon S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access for 90 days, then delete.
Why wrong: Not compliant due to low durability and deletion after 90 days.
- C
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive.
Deep Archive offers low cost with 12-hour retrieval.
- D
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Standard.
Why wrong: S3 Standard is more expensive for long-term.
Question 592 of 1,746
SAP-C02 Amazon S3 Storage Classes Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. 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. A key principle to apply: amazon S3 Storage Classes. 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 uses AWS CloudTrail to log API activity. The compliance team requires that logs be stored for 7 years and be immediately accessible for the first 90 days, after which access can take up to 12 hours. Which storage solution meets these requirements cost-effectively?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
✓
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive.
Option C is correct because S3 Standard provides immediate access for the first 90 days, and then transitioning to S3 Glacier Deep Archive (retrieval time up to 12 hours) meets the 7-year retention requirement at the lowest cost. Option A is wrong: S3 Glacier has retrieval times ranging from minutes to hours (not up to 12 hours) and is more expensive than Deep Archive for long-term archival. Option B is wrong: S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access is not durable enough for compliance (single Availability Zone) and deleting after 90 days does not satisfy the 7-year retention requirement. Option D is wrong: S3 Standard-Infrequent Access is for infrequent access but transitioning to S3 Standard is more expensive, and the lifecycle policy does not achieve the 7-year retention.
Key principle: Amazon S3 Storage Classes
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier for the remainder.
Why it's wrong here
Glacier retrieval might be faster than 12 hours but more expensive.
- ✗
Store logs in Amazon S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access for 90 days, then delete.
Why it's wrong here
Not compliant due to low durability and deletion after 90 days.
- ✓
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive.
Why this is correct
Deep Archive offers low cost with 12-hour retrieval.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Amazon S3 Storage Classes
- ✗
Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Standard.
Why it's wrong here
S3 Standard is more expensive for long-term.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The key trap is confusing S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive retrieval times. Glacier's retrieval is minutes to hours, while Deep Archive is up to 12 hours, matching the requirement. Also, candidates may overlook the cost differences between storage classes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Amazon S3 Storage Classes
- S3 Lifecycle Policies
- Cost Optimization for Compliance
- Retrieval Time Constraints
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
Amazon S3 Storage Classes
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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.
Review amazon S3 Storage Classes, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Amazon S3 Storage Classes.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Store logs in Amazon S3 Standard for 90 days, then transition to Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive. — Option C is correct because S3 Standard provides immediate access for the first 90 days, and then transitioning to S3 Glacier Deep Archive (retrieval time up to 12 hours) meets the 7-year retention requirement at the lowest cost. Option A is wrong: S3 Glacier has retrieval times ranging from minutes to hours (not up to 12 hours) and is more expensive than Deep Archive for long-term archival. Option B is wrong: S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access is not durable enough for compliance (single Availability Zone) and deleting after 90 days does not satisfy the 7-year retention requirement. Option D is wrong: S3 Standard-Infrequent Access is for infrequent access but transitioning to S3 Standard is more expensive, and the lifecycle policy does not achieve the 7-year retention.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review amazon S3 Storage Classes, then practise related SAP-C02 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first", "immediately / without restart". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Amazon S3 Storage Classes
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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