- A
Transition objects to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 90 days.
Why wrong: Glacier Flexible Retrieval has retrieval times of minutes, not milliseconds.
- B
Use S3 Glacier Deep Archive for data older than 30 days.
Why wrong: Glacier Deep Archive has retrieval times of 12 hours, not milliseconds.
- C
Use S3 Standard-IA for data that is accessed less frequently but requires millisecond retrieval.
Standard-IA offers lower storage cost and same latency as Standard.
- D
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering to automatically move objects between access tiers.
Intelligent-Tiering monitors access patterns and moves data to lower-cost tiers, with no retrieval fees.
- E
Use S3 One Zone-IA for all data to reduce storage costs.
Why wrong: One Zone-IA is less durable and not suitable for data that cannot be re-created.
SAP-C02 Design for New Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of design for new solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO strategies can reduce the cost of storing infrequently accessed data in Amazon S3 while maintaining millisecond retrieval latency? (Choose two.)
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 S3 Standard-IA for data that is accessed less frequently but requires millisecond retrieval.
Option C is correct because S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) is designed for data accessed less frequently but still requires millisecond retrieval latency, making it a cost-effective choice for infrequently accessed data without sacrificing performance. Option D is correct because S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves objects between access tiers (e.g., from S3 Standard to S3 Standard-IA) based on changing access patterns, optimizing costs while maintaining millisecond latency for frequently accessed data.
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.
- ✗
Transition objects to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
Glacier Flexible Retrieval has retrieval times of minutes, not milliseconds.
- ✗
Use S3 Glacier Deep Archive for data older than 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Glacier Deep Archive has retrieval times of 12 hours, not milliseconds.
- ✓
Use S3 Standard-IA for data that is accessed less frequently but requires millisecond retrieval.
Why this is correct
Standard-IA offers lower storage cost and same latency as Standard.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Use S3 Intelligent-Tiering to automatically move objects between access tiers.
Why this is correct
Intelligent-Tiering monitors access patterns and moves data to lower-cost tiers, with no retrieval fees.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use S3 One Zone-IA for all data to reduce storage costs.
Why it's wrong here
One Zone-IA is less durable and not suitable for data that cannot be re-created.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse storage classes with retrieval latency, assuming that any 'Glacier' or 'Archive' class can provide millisecond retrieval, when in fact only S3 Standard, S3 Standard-IA, S3 One Zone-IA, and S3 Intelligent-Tiering (with frequent/infrequent tiers) offer that latency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 Standard-IA and S3 Intelligent-Tiering both offer the same low latency (milliseconds) as S3 Standard because they use the same underlying object storage infrastructure with real-time retrieval. S3 Intelligent-Tiering monitors access patterns and moves objects between tiers (e.g., frequent, infrequent, archive instant) with no retrieval fees, but charges a monthly monitoring fee per object. The key trade-off is that S3 Standard-IA has a minimum storage duration charge (30 days) and a per-GB retrieval fee, while Intelligent-Tiering avoids retrieval fees but incurs monitoring costs.
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 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.
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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 S3 Standard-IA for data that is accessed less frequently but requires millisecond retrieval. — Option C is correct because S3 Standard-IA (Infrequent Access) is designed for data accessed less frequently but still requires millisecond retrieval latency, making it a cost-effective choice for infrequently accessed data without sacrificing performance. Option D is correct because S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves objects between access tiers (e.g., from S3 Standard to S3 Standard-IA) based on changing access patterns, optimizing costs while maintaining millisecond latency for frequently accessed data.
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
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