A media company uses Amazon S3 to store large video files that are accessed frequently for the first 30 days after upload, then occasionally for the next 90 days, and rarely thereafter for archival purposes. They need to optimize storage costs while ensuring data remains accessible according to these patterns. Which S3 storage class transition policy would be most cost-effective?
- ATransition to S3 One Zone-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 120 days.
- BTransition to S3 Standard-IA after 90 days, then to S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval after 180 days.
- CTransition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 120 days.
- DTransition to S3 Intelligent-Tiering after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 120 days.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Transition to S3 Standard-IA after 30 days, then to S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval after 120 days.
S3 Standard-IA is suitable for data accessed less frequently but requiring rapid access. S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (formerly S3 Glacier) is ideal for archival data that is rarely accessed and retrieval times of minutes to hours are acceptable. This combination aligns perfectly with the access patterns: frequent (Standard), then occasional (Standard-IA), then rare archival (Glacier Flexible Retrieval).
Why the other options are wrong
- A. S3 One Zone-IA is not fault-tolerant against AZ failure, which might not be suitable for critical video files. Glacier Deep Archive has very long retrieval times.
- B. The transition timings (90 days to Standard-IA, 180 days to Glacier Instant Retrieval) do not match the specified access patterns of 30 days frequent, 90 days occasional, and then rarely thereafter.
- D. S3 Intelligent-Tiering automatically moves data between access tiers, but the specific request implies a predictable access pattern, making manual transitions potentially more cost-effective. Glacier Deep Archive has longer retrieval times and is typically for data accessed once or twice a year.
S3 Lifecycle for Cost Optimization
Amazon S3 Lifecycle policies automate the transition of objects between different storage classes based on predefined rules, optimizing storage costs for varying access patterns.
- Defines rules for object transitions and expirations.
- Transitions objects to cheaper storage classes as access frequency decreases.
- Helps manage storage costs effectively.
Memory trick: Access patterns change, S3 tiers rearrange, costs you can manage, with a lifecycle stage.