AWS Certified Data Engineer – AssociateData Governance and SecurityMedium
A global research institution uses Amazon S3 to store large datasets from various projects. They need to implement a data retention policy where project data is retained for a minimum of 5 years, and then automatically deleted. However, some specific highly sensitive datasets within these projects need to be retained for 10 years. What is the most efficient way to manage this dual retention requirement using S3 features?
- AUse S3 Versioning and manually delete older versions after 5 years.
- BApply S3 Lifecycle Policies with object tags to differentiate retention periods.
- CImplement AWS Backup to manage retention for all S3 objects.
- DCreate separate S3 buckets for 5-year and 10-year retention data.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Apply S3 Lifecycle Policies with object tags to differentiate retention periods.
S3 Lifecycle Policies with object tags allow for highly granular retention rules within a single bucket. By tagging sensitive objects, a separate lifecycle rule can be applied for 10-year retention, while a default rule handles the 5-year retention for untagged objects, making it efficient and scalable.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. S3 Versioning primarily helps with data recovery and accidental deletions, not for managing complex, automatic retention periods based on data sensitivity; manual deletion is error-prone.
- C. AWS Backup is primarily for backing up AWS resources and applications, not for defining granular, tag-based lifecycle management policies directly within S3 buckets.
- D. Creating separate buckets for different retention periods can lead to bucket sprawl and management overhead, especially with many projects.
S3 Lifecycle Policies with Tags
S3 Lifecycle Policies can be configured with object tags to apply different transition or expiration actions to subsets of objects within a bucket, based on specific key-value pairs assigned to those objects.
- Automates object transitions and expirations.
- Uses object tags for granular rule application.
- Reduces storage costs and simplifies data management.
- Supports complex retention requirements within a single bucket.
Memory trick: Tags Tailor Timely Trashing