- A
Use AWS Lake Formation to define column-level permissions in the Data Catalog.
Lake Formation integrates with Athena and allows fine-grained column-level access control with minimal effort.
- B
Create separate S3 buckets for sensitive and non-sensitive data and apply bucket policies to restrict access.
Why wrong: Bucket policies control access to objects, not columns within a file.
- C
Load the data into Amazon Redshift and use Redshift Spectrum to query S3, then apply column-level security through Redshift.
Why wrong: Redshift adds operational overhead and cost; Lake Formation is simpler for Athena-only queries.
- D
Use IAM policies with condition keys to restrict access based on the Athena workgroup.
Why wrong: IAM policies cannot restrict access to specific columns; they operate at the API level.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use AWS Lake Formation to define column-level permissions in the Data Catalog. This is correct because Lake Formation provides native column-level access control directly on the Glue Data Catalog, allowing you to restrict sensitive columns like PII in Parquet files without modifying the underlying S3 data or requiring complex IAM policies. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of granular access control in a serverless analytics architecture, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose S3 bucket policies or IAM policies—both of which operate at the object or action level, not the column level. The key distinction is that Lake Formation’s column-level filtering happens at the query engine layer, meaning Athena users only see permitted columns, while S3 and IAM cannot filter within a file. Memory tip: think “Lake Formation = Column Filter, S3 = Object Filter, IAM = Action Filter.”
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new 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. 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 building a data lake on Amazon S3 using Parquet files. The data will be queried by multiple teams using Amazon Athena. The security team requires that access to sensitive columns (e.g., PII) be restricted based on the user's role. Which solution provides column-level access control with the LEAST administrative overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Use AWS Lake Formation to define column-level permissions in the Data Catalog.
Option C is correct because Lake Formation allows column-level permissions via the Data Catalog. Option A is wrong because S3 bucket policies are at the object level, not column level. Option B is wrong because IAM policies can restrict actions but not columns. Option D is wrong because Redshift Spectrum queries through Redshift but adds complexity.
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.
- ✓
Use AWS Lake Formation to define column-level permissions in the Data Catalog.
Why this is correct
Lake Formation integrates with Athena and allows fine-grained column-level access control with minimal effort.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create separate S3 buckets for sensitive and non-sensitive data and apply bucket policies to restrict access.
Why it's wrong here
Bucket policies control access to objects, not columns within a file.
- ✗
Load the data into Amazon Redshift and use Redshift Spectrum to query S3, then apply column-level security through Redshift.
Why it's wrong here
Redshift adds operational overhead and cost; Lake Formation is simpler for Athena-only queries.
- ✗
Use IAM policies with condition keys to restrict access based on the Athena workgroup.
Why it's wrong here
IAM policies cannot restrict access to specific columns; they operate at the API level.
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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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: Use AWS Lake Formation to define column-level permissions in the Data Catalog. — Option C is correct because Lake Formation allows column-level permissions via the Data Catalog. Option A is wrong because S3 bucket policies are at the object level, not column level. Option B is wrong because IAM policies can restrict actions but not columns. Option D is wrong because Redshift Spectrum queries through Redshift but adds complexity.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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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