The correct answer is to transition logs to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and delete after 3 years. This lifecycle policy minimizes costs by moving infrequently accessed data to cheaper storage tiers while meeting the three-year compliance requirement, as S3 Glacier Deep Archive offers the lowest storage cost for long-term retention. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance cost optimization with SAP compliance mandates, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly delete data too early or choose S3 One Zone-IA, which lacks the durability needed for audit logs. A common memory tip is "30-1-3": transition to Standard-IA at 30 days, to Deep Archive at 1 year, and expire at 3 years.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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 SAP system administrator needs to store application logs for a minimum of 3 years for compliance. The logs are currently stored in Amazon S3 Standard and are accessed infrequently after 30 days. Which lifecycle policy should the administrator implement to minimize costs while meeting compliance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and delete after 3 years.
Option D is correct: transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and expire after 3 years. Option A is incorrect because immediate transition to Glacier may incur retrieval costs. Option B is incorrect because S3 One Zone-IA is not durable enough for compliance. Option C is incorrect because deleting after 30 days violates retention.
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 to S3 One Zone-IA after 30 days and delete after 3 years.
Why it's wrong here
B is wrong: One Zone-IA is not recommended for compliance data.
✗
Transition to S3 Glacier after 30 days and delete after 3 years.
Why it's wrong here
A is wrong: Glacier may be too expensive for frequent early access.
✗
Delete logs after 30 days to save costs.
Why it's wrong here
C is wrong: violates retention requirement.
✓
Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and delete after 3 years.
Why this is correct
D is correct: balances access and long-term archival costs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PAS-C01 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.
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and delete after 3 years. — Option D is correct: transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 year, and expire after 3 years. Option A is incorrect because immediate transition to Glacier may incur retrieval costs. Option B is incorrect because S3 One Zone-IA is not durable enough for compliance. Option C is incorrect because deleting after 30 days violates retention.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which PAS-C01 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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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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