CCSP Cloud Concepts, Architecture, and Design Practice Question
A financial services company is migrating its legacy on-premises application to a public cloud IaaS environment. The application currently uses a shared file system that requires strong consistency and low-latency access for transaction processing. The cloud architect must choose a storage solution that meets these performance requirements. Which cloud storage type is MOST appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that block storage is always the best for performance, but block storage is not designed for shared access. File storage is the correct choice when multiple instances need concurrent access to the same file system with strong consistency.
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
✓
File storage
The application requires a shared file system with strong consistency and low latency. Cloud file storage services, such as Amazon EFS or Azure Files, provide shared NFS or SMB access with configurable performance and strong consistency. Block storage is not inherently shared, object storage is not low-latency or strongly consistent, and archive storage is for cold data. Therefore, file storage is the most appropriate choice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Object storage
Why it's wrong here
Object storage is designed for scalability and durability, but it typically offers eventual consistency and higher latency compared to block or file storage. It is not suitable for a shared file system that requires strong consistency and low-latency access for transaction processing. Object storage is better for unstructured data, backups, and static content.
- ✗
Block storage
Why it's wrong here
Block storage provides low-latency, high-performance storage that can be attached to a single instance, but it does not natively support shared access across multiple instances. While some cloud providers offer shared block storage solutions, they often require additional clustering software and may not provide the strong consistency needed for a shared file system without careful configuration.
- ✓
File storage
Why this is correct
File storage, often provided as a managed Network File System (NFS) service in the cloud, supports shared access from multiple instances and can provide strong consistency and low latency when provisioned with appropriate performance tiers. It is designed for file-based workloads that require concurrent access, making it suitable for a shared file system used by transaction processing applications.
- ✗
Archive storage
Why it's wrong here
Archive storage is optimized for long-term retention of data that is rarely accessed. It has high latency and low throughput, making it completely unsuitable for a transaction processing application that requires strong consistency and low-latency access. Archive storage is typically used for compliance and backup purposes, not active workloads.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.