AWS Certified Solutions Architect – ProfessionalDesign for New SolutionsHard
A research institution is building a new data platform to ingest genomic sequencing data, which consists of extremely large files (terabytes per file) and requires high-throughput, low-latency access for parallel processing by high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. The data will be accessed by hundreds of compute nodes concurrently. The solution must provide POSIX-compliant file system access. Which AWS storage solution is most suitable for this use case?
- AAmazon FSx for Lustre.
- BAmazon S3 Standard.
- CAmazon EFS Standard.
- DAmazon EBS Provisioned IOPS SSD (io2 Block Express).
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Amazon FSx for Lustre.
Amazon FSx for Lustre is a high-performance file system designed specifically for HPC workloads, machine learning, and media processing. It provides high-throughput, low-latency, and parallel access to data, supporting POSIX compliance, making it ideal for large genomic datasets and concurrent access from HPC clusters.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Amazon S3 is object storage, not a POSIX-compliant file system, and its access patterns are not optimized for the extremely high-throughput, low-latency, parallel access required by HPC.
- C. Amazon EFS is a shared file system but generally offers lower throughput and higher latency than FSx for Lustre, making it less suitable for the extreme demands of genomic HPC workloads.
- D. EBS io2 Block Express provides high performance for single EC2 instances but is not a shared, distributed, POSIX-compliant file system designed for hundreds of concurrent HPC nodes.
Amazon FSx for Lustre
Amazon FSx for Lustre is a fully managed file system that is optimized for compute-intensive workloads, such as high-performance computing (HPC), machine learning, and media processing.
- Provides high-throughput and low-latency access to data.
- Supports POSIX-compliant file system access.
- Integrates with Amazon S3 for data lifecycle management and cost-effective storage.
Memory trick: Lustre's HPC Speed Powers Genomic Research.