Question #3
A company has a centralized group of users with large file storage requirements that have exceeded the space available on premises. The company wants to extend its file storage capabilities for this group while retaining the performance benefit of sharing content locally.
What is the MOST operationally efficient AWS solution for this scenario?
Create an Amazon S3 bucket for each user. Mount each bucket by using an S3 file system mounting utility.
Configure and deploy an AWS Storage Gateway file gateway. Connect each user’s workstation to the file gateway.
Move each user’s working environment to Amazon WorkSpaces. Set up an Amazon WorkDocs account for each user.
Deploy an Amazon EC2 instance and attach an Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) Provisioned IOPS volume. Share the EBS volume directly with the users.
Explanation
The correct answer is B: Configure and deploy an AWS Storage Gateway file gateway. The AWS Storage Gateway file gateway provides a seamless on-premises experience that allows users to store their files in Amazon S3, while still accessing them frequently through a local file system interface. This option is operationally efficient because it integrates with existing local infrastructure, is highly scalable, and requires minimal management.
Let's analyze the other options:
A. Create an Amazon S3 bucket for each user. Mount each bucket by using an S3 file system mounting utility.
This option would lead to a complex setup with potentially extensive administration, as each user would have to manage their own bucket and mounting process. Additionally, this option doesn't provide the same level of integrated performance benefits as the Storage Gateway.
C. Move each user’s working environment to Amazon WorkSpaces. Set up an Amazon WorkDocs account for each user.
While this option would technically provide file storage, it involves migrating users to a completely different working environment (WorkSpaces), which may not be necessary and can introduce complexity. This also requires a different management approach compared to simply extending storage capabilities.
D. Deploy an Amazon EC2 instance and attach an Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) Provisioned IOPS volume. Share the EBS volume directly with the users.
This option would be technically feasible, but sharing an EBS volume is not straightforward and would require additional setup for each user. It also does not take full advantage of AWS's scalable storage solutions, such as S3.
In summary, option B is optimal as it caters specifically to the need for easy access to scalable storage while retaining local performance benefits. It minimizes operational complexity and is designed for exactly this type of use case.
Answer
The correct answer is: B