The answer is to use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices in parallel. This is correct because a 1 Gbps network can transfer only about 340 TB over three weeks, falling short of the 500 TB requirement, while Snowball Edge bypasses network constraints entirely by shipping physical storage devices, enabling petabyte-scale offline data transfer within the deadline. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to recognize when network bandwidth is the bottleneck for large data lake migration to Amazon S3, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose AWS Direct Connect or online transfer methods. A key memory tip: when migrating a large data lake to S3 Snowball, remember the “3-week rule”—if the data volume exceeds what 1 Gbps can move in that window, think physical shipping, not pipes.
PAS-C01 Migration Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of migration. 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.
An organization is migrating a large data lake (500 TB) from on-premises HDFS to Amazon S3. The migration must be completed within 3 weeks. The network bandwidth between on-premises and AWS is 1 Gbps. What is the MOST efficient migration approach?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel.
Given the 500 TB data volume and a 3-week deadline, the 1 Gbps network bandwidth yields a theoretical maximum transfer of only ~340 TB in 3 weeks (1 Gbps * 21 days * 86400 seconds / 8 bits per byte), which is insufficient. AWS Snowball Edge devices provide a petabyte-scale, offline data transfer solution that bypasses network constraints entirely, allowing parallel transfers to meet the timeline. This is the most efficient approach because it avoids network bottlenecks and leverages physical shipping for massive datasets.
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 DataSync over the existing internet connection.
Why it's wrong here
1 Gbps bandwidth would take too long (approx 48 days) and DataSync is not optimized for such large volumes.
✗
Order a dedicated AWS Direct Connect circuit at 10 Gbps and use AWS DataSync.
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect setup takes weeks and is expensive; DataSync may still be slower than Snowball for this volume.
✗
Use Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration to speed up the transfer over the internet.
Why it's wrong here
Transfer Acceleration improves speed but not enough to transfer 500 TB in 3 weeks over 1 Gbps.
✓
Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel.
Why this is correct
Snowball Edge provides high-capacity offline storage and multiple devices can be used concurrently, meeting the deadline.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates underestimate the time required for network-based transfers over limited bandwidth and overestimate the effectiveness of acceleration technologies like S3 Transfer Acceleration or Direct Connect, failing to recognize that physical shipping is the only viable option for hundreds of terabytes within a strict deadline.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Snowball Edge uses a ruggedized device with 80 TB of usable storage per node (for Snowball Edge Storage Optimized), and multiple devices can be ordered to transfer data in parallel, with each device shipped separately. The total transfer time includes shipping (typically 2-3 days per device round-trip) and local data copy over 10 GbE or 25 GbE interfaces, which is far faster than WAN links for large datasets. In real-world scenarios, organizations often combine multiple Snowball Edge devices with parallel shipping to achieve petabyte-scale migrations within weeks, as the aggregate throughput is limited only by the number of devices and local network speed.
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.
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel. — Given the 500 TB data volume and a 3-week deadline, the 1 Gbps network bandwidth yields a theoretical maximum transfer of only ~340 TB in 3 weeks (1 Gbps * 21 days * 86400 seconds / 8 bits per byte), which is insufficient. AWS Snowball Edge devices provide a petabyte-scale, offline data transfer solution that bypasses network constraints entirely, allowing parallel transfers to meet the timeline. This is the most efficient approach because it avoids network bottlenecks and leverages physical shipping for massive datasets.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 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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Question Discussion
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