- A
Export logs from CloudWatch Logs to an S3 bucket, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
This approach minimizes cost by using low-cost archival storage for data rarely accessed.
- B
Stream logs to an S3 bucket using Kinesis, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Standard-IA after 90 days.
Why wrong: Standard-IA is not the cheapest option for archival; Glacier Deep Archive is more cost-effective.
- C
Set a retention policy on the CloudWatch Logs log group to 7 years and use CloudWatch Logs Insights for queries.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs Insights is for real-time analysis, not cost-effective archival.
- D
Set a retention policy on the CloudWatch Logs log group to 7 years and use CloudWatch Logs lifecycle policies to transition to Amazon S3 Glacier.
Why wrong: CloudWatch Logs does not support lifecycle policies to Glacier; it only supports S3 export.
Quick Answer
The answer is to export logs from CloudWatch Logs to an S3 bucket and then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition them to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days. This is the most cost-effective long-term log retention strategy because CloudWatch Logs itself lacks native lifecycle rules for archival tiers, while S3 Lifecycle policies automate data movement to Glacier Deep Archive, which offers the lowest storage cost for infrequently accessed data retained for seven years. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of balancing compliance-driven retention with cost optimization, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly apply lifecycle policies directly within CloudWatch Logs or choose S3 Standard-IA, which is far more expensive over a multi-year horizon. A key memory tip: remember that CloudWatch Logs can only export to S3, and once data is in S3, think “Deep Archive for deep compliance” — the deeper the archive tier, the cheaper the long-term bill.
SCS-C02 Security Logging and Monitoring Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of security logging and monitoring. 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.
A company is using Amazon CloudWatch Logs to store application logs. The security team needs to retain logs for 7 years to comply with regulatory requirements. The logs are accessed infrequently after the first 90 days. What is the MOST cost-effective way to meet these retention and access requirements?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Export logs from CloudWatch Logs to an S3 bucket, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Option A is correct because exporting logs to S3 and using S3 Lifecycle policies to transition to Glacier Deep Archive provides long-term retention at low cost. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not support lifecycle policies to Glacier, only to S3. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs Insights is not designed for long-term archival storage. Option D is wrong because S3 Standard-IA is not cost-effective for 7 years of infrequently accessed data; Glacier Deep Archive is cheaper.
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.
- ✓
Export logs from CloudWatch Logs to an S3 bucket, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days.
Why this is correct
This approach minimizes cost by using low-cost archival storage for data rarely accessed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Stream logs to an S3 bucket using Kinesis, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Standard-IA after 90 days.
Why it's wrong here
Standard-IA is not the cheapest option for archival; Glacier Deep Archive is more cost-effective.
- ✗
Set a retention policy on the CloudWatch Logs log group to 7 years and use CloudWatch Logs Insights for queries.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs Insights is for real-time analysis, not cost-effective archival.
- ✗
Set a retention policy on the CloudWatch Logs log group to 7 years and use CloudWatch Logs lifecycle policies to transition to Amazon S3 Glacier.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch Logs does not support lifecycle policies to Glacier; it only supports S3 export.
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 SCS-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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Security Logging and Monitoring — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Security Logging and Monitoring — This question tests Security Logging and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Export logs from CloudWatch Logs to an S3 bucket, then use S3 Lifecycle policies to transition logs to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 90 days. — Option A is correct because exporting logs to S3 and using S3 Lifecycle policies to transition to Glacier Deep Archive provides long-term retention at low cost. Option B is wrong because CloudWatch Logs does not support lifecycle policies to Glacier, only to S3. Option C is wrong because CloudWatch Logs Insights is not designed for long-term archival storage. Option D is wrong because S3 Standard-IA is not cost-effective for 7 years of infrequently accessed data; Glacier Deep Archive is cheaper.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which SCS-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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 SCS-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 SCS-C02 exam.
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