AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)Cloud Technology and ServicesMedium
A media archive team stores transcoded video proxy files that can be easily regenerated from original source footage if lost. The files are accessed infrequently, and the team wants the lowest-cost storage option while accepting reduced availability due to data being stored in only one Availability Zone. Which S3 storage class should they choose?
- AS3 Standard-IA
- BS3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval
- CS3 Standard
- DS3 One Zone-IA
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. S3 One Zone-IA
S3 One Zone-IA stores infrequently accessed data in a single Availability Zone at a lower cost than Standard-IA, making it suitable for reproducible or non-critical data where reduced resilience is acceptable.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. S3 Standard-IA stores data across multiple AZs, costing more than One Zone-IA.
- B. Glacier Flexible Retrieval is meant for archival data with retrieval times of minutes to hours, not near-immediate access.
- C. S3 Standard is designed for frequently accessed data and costs more than needed here.
S3 One Zone-IA
An S3 storage class for infrequently accessed data that stores data in a single Availability Zone at a lower cost than Standard-IA.
- Cheapest IA class but less resilient (single AZ)
- Best for reproducible or non-critical data
- Millisecond access like Standard-IA
Memory trick: One Zone = one basket, cheaper but riskier.