- A
Use AWS Backup to manually copy the bucket to another Region.
Why wrong: AWS Backup can automate backups, but CRR is the native S3 feature for continuous replication.
- B
Enable S3 Versioning on the bucket.
Why wrong: Versioning protects against accidental deletion but not regional failure.
- C
Use S3 Standard storage class.
Why wrong: S3 Standard is highly durable but within a single Region; does not protect against Region failure.
- D
Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another Region.
CRR replicates data to another Region for disaster recovery.
Question 488 of 1,546
S3 Cross-Region Replication: The Most Cost-Effective DR Strategy
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of reliability and business continuity. 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 stores critical data in an S3 bucket. The SysOps administrator needs to ensure that the data is durable and can be recovered if an entire AWS Region becomes unavailable. What is the MOST cost-effective solution?
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
✓
Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another Region.
D is correct because S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) automatically replicates objects to a bucket in another AWS Region, ensuring data durability and recoverability even if an entire Region becomes unavailable. This is the most cost-effective solution for cross-region disaster recovery as it only incurs replication costs and storage fees in the destination Region, without requiring manual intervention or additional infrastructure.
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 Backup to manually copy the bucket to another Region.
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup can automate backups, but CRR is the native S3 feature for continuous replication.
- ✗
Enable S3 Versioning on the bucket.
Why it's wrong here
Versioning protects against accidental deletion but not regional failure.
- ✗
Use S3 Standard storage class.
Why it's wrong here
S3 Standard is highly durable but within a single Region; does not protect against Region failure.
- ✓
Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another Region.
Why this is correct
CRR replicates data to another Region for disaster recovery.
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 often confuse S3 Versioning (which protects against accidental deletion within a Region) with Cross-Region Replication (which protects against Regional outages), leading them to select Option B as a cheaper alternative without understanding that versioning does not provide geographic redundancy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 CRR uses asynchronous replication to copy objects to a destination bucket in a different AWS Region, with replication typically completing within 15 minutes for most objects. Under the hood, CRR relies on S3's internal replication engine that monitors PUT operations and replicates object metadata, ACLs, and object tags, but does not replicate existing objects unless S3 Batch Replication is used. A real-world scenario is a financial institution that must meet regulatory requirements for data residency and disaster recovery, where CRR ensures data is available in a secondary Region within minutes of a Regional failure.
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 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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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Reliability and Business Continuity — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SOA-C02 question test?
Reliability and Business Continuity — This question tests Reliability and Business Continuity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure S3 Cross-Region Replication to a bucket in another Region. — D is correct because S3 Cross-Region Replication (CRR) automatically replicates objects to a bucket in another AWS Region, ensuring data durability and recoverability even if an entire Region becomes unavailable. This is the most cost-effective solution for cross-region disaster recovery as it only incurs replication costs and storage fees in the destination Region, without requiring manual intervention or additional infrastructure.
What should I do if I get this SOA-C02 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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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