Question #1085
A company's application generates thousands of files, each around 10 MB in size, stored in Amazon S3. The files must be retained for 3 years before deletion, per company policy. Immediate accessibility is mandatory at all times, as the files contain essential operational data. These files are heavily accessed during the first 15 days after creation but are seldom accessed afterward. Which storage solution is MOST cost-effective while meeting all requirements?
Create an S3 bucket lifecycle policy to transition files from S3 Standard to S3 Glacier 15 days after creation. Delete the files 3 years after creation.
Create an S3 bucket lifecycle policy to transition files from S3 Standard to S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access (S3 One Zone-IA) 15 days after creation. Delete the files 3 years after creation.
Create an S3 bucket lifecycle policy to transition files from S3 Standard to S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) 15 days after creation. Delete the files 3 years after creation.
Create an S3 bucket lifecycle policy to transition files from S3 Standard to S3 Standard-IA 15 days after creation. Move the files to S3 Glacier 3 years after creation.
Explanation
Option C is correct because S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) is designed for data that is accessed less frequently but requires immediate availability. Transitioning files from S3 Standard to S3 Standard-IA after 15 days reduces storage costs while maintaining immediate access, which is mandatory. After 3 years, the lifecycle policy deletes the files as required.
Option A is incorrect because S3 Glacier does not provide immediate access, violating the accessibility requirement. Option B uses S3 One Zone-IA, which is cheaper but stores data in only one Availability Zone, risking data loss and offering lower durability than Standard-IA. Option D unnecessarily transitions to Glacier after 3 years, which is redundant since the files are deleted at that time.
Key Points:
- Immediate access is required: Glacier is excluded.
- Essential operational data: Prefer Standard-IA (multi-AZ) over One Zone-IA.
- Lifecycle policies automate transitions and deletion.
- Cost optimization: Standard-IA balances cost and accessibility for infrequent access.
Answer
The correct answer is: C