Quick Answer
The answer is S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval with SSE-S3. This combination is the most cost-effective because Glacier Instant Retrieval offers millisecond retrieval times for infrequently accessed data, meeting the "available within minutes" requirement, while SSE-S3 provides encryption at rest at no additional cost, unlike customer-managed keys or KMS options that incur per-request charges. On the AWS Certified Security Specialty SCS-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance retrieval speed, retention duration, and encryption overhead—a common trap is choosing Glacier Deep Archive for its lower storage price, forgetting its 12-hour retrieval window violates the minutes requirement. Another pitfall is selecting SSE-KMS for encryption, which adds cost without security benefit for this use case. Memory tip: think "Instant for minutes, SSE-S3 for free"—when access speed matters and cost is king, pair the fastest retrieval glacier class with the cheapest encryption.
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of data protection. 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 S3 to store backup files that must be retained for 7 years. The files are accessed infrequently but must be available within minutes when needed. The company wants to minimize storage costs while ensuring data is encrypted at rest. Which storage class and encryption combination is most cost-effective?
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.
S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval with SSE-S3
Instant retrieval and cost-effective.
S3 Glacier Deep Archive with SSE-S3
Why wrong: Retrieval time is hours, not minutes.
S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval with SSE-KMS
Why wrong: Retrieval minutes to hours, and SSE-KMS has additional costs.
S3 Standard-IA with SSE-KMS
Why wrong: Standard-IA is more expensive than Glacier Instant Retrieval.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval with SSE-S3
S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the lowest-cost storage class for long-term retention but has retrieval times of 12 hours, which does not meet the 'minutes' requirement. S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval provides milliseconds retrieval and is cost-effective for infrequent access. Option B is correct. SSE-S3 provides encryption at no additional cost. Options A and C have longer retrieval times. Option D is more expensive.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval with SSE-S3
Why this is correct
Instant retrieval and cost-effective.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
S3 Glacier Deep Archive with SSE-S3
Why it's wrong here
Retrieval time is hours, not minutes.
S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval with SSE-KMS
Why it's wrong here
Retrieval minutes to hours, and SSE-KMS has additional costs.
S3 Standard-IA with SSE-KMS
Why it's wrong here
Standard-IA is more expensive than Glacier Instant Retrieval.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
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
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Data Protection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Data Protection — This question tests Data Protection — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval with SSE-S3 — S3 Glacier Deep Archive is the lowest-cost storage class for long-term retention but has retrieval times of 12 hours, which does not meet the 'minutes' requirement. S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval provides milliseconds retrieval and is cost-effective for infrequent access. Option B is correct. SSE-S3 provides encryption at no additional cost. Options A and C have longer retrieval times. Option D is more expensive.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SCS-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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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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