Quick Answer
The answer is both AWS Snowball Edge and AWS DataSync, as they are the two services designed for efficiently transferring 50TB of data to Amazon S3. Snowball Edge is a physical device that bypasses network bandwidth constraints by shipping the data directly to AWS, making it ideal for large, one-time migrations where internet transfer would be impractically slow. DataSync, on the other hand, automates and accelerates online data transfer over the network, often used for ongoing replication or when a dedicated connection like AWS Direct Connect is available. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to differentiate between offline and online transfer methods for large-scale migrations. A common trap is assuming only one service works for 50TB, but the exam expects you to recognize that both are valid depending on network speed and business requirements. Memory tip: think “Snowball for the slow road, DataSync for the fast lane” — one ships, one syncs.
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.
A company is migrating an on-premises data center to AWS. The company needs to transfer 50 TB of data to Amazon S3. Which TWO AWS services can be used for this data transfer?
AWS Snowball Edge
Physical device for offline transfer.
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
Why wrong: Server migration.
AWS CloudFormation
Why wrong: Infrastructure provisioning.
AWS DataSync
Network-based data transfer service.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why wrong: Database migration.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Snowball Edge
AWS Snowball Edge is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses secure physical devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of AWS. For a 50 TB migration, Snowball Edge provides a faster and more reliable option than internet-based transfers, as it avoids bandwidth limitations and long transfer times. The device is shipped to the customer, data is copied locally, and then returned to AWS for ingestion into Amazon S3.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Snowball Edge
Why this is correct
Physical device for offline transfer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
Why it's wrong here
Server migration.
AWS CloudFormation
Why it's wrong here
Infrastructure provisioning.
AWS DataSync
Why this is correct
Network-based data transfer service.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why it's wrong here
Database migration.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse AWS DataSync with AWS DMS or think that AWS Application Migration Service can handle bulk file transfers, but DataSync is specifically optimized for large-scale file and object transfers to S3, while Snowball Edge is the offline alternative for very large datasets.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS DataSync automates and accelerates moving data over the internet or AWS Direct Connect using a purpose-built network protocol and in-transit encryption, handling up to 10 Gbps per agent. Snowball Edge devices use a hardened, tamper-resistant enclosure with built-in storage and compute, and can be clustered for larger transfers; for 50 TB, a single Snowball Edge Storage Optimized device (80 TB usable) is sufficient. Both services integrate directly with Amazon S3, but DataSync is ideal for ongoing replication while Snowball is best for one-time, offline transfers where network bandwidth is limited.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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Migration — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Snowball Edge — AWS Snowball Edge is a petabyte-scale data transport solution that uses secure physical devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of AWS. For a 50 TB migration, Snowball Edge provides a faster and more reliable option than internet-based transfers, as it avoids bandwidth limitations and long transfer times. The device is shipped to the customer, data is copied locally, and then returned to AWS for ingestion into Amazon S3.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 exam.
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