Explanation
Correct Answer: B - Create an S3 Lifecycle configuration to transition objects from S3 Standard to S3 Glacier Deep Archive after 1 month.
Analysis of Requirements:
- Files accessed frequently for 1 month → S3 Standard is appropriate for this period
- Files not accessed after 1 month → Need to transition to cheaper storage
- Keep files indefinitely → Need archival storage
- Most cost-effective solution → Need the lowest cost for long-term storage
Option Analysis:
A. S3 Intelligent-Tiering
- Automatically moves objects between frequent and infrequent access tiers
- Good for unpredictable access patterns
- NOT the most cost-effective for predictable patterns (1 month frequent, then no access)
- Still more expensive than archival options for long-term storage
B. S3 Glacier Deep Archive
- Lowest cost storage class in S3
- Designed for long-term archival (7-10 years minimum storage duration)
- Perfect for "keep files indefinitely" requirement
- Retrieval times: 12 hours (standard) or 48 hours (bulk)
- Most cost-effective for data that won't be accessed after 1 month
C. S3 Standard-IA
- Infrequent Access tier
- Higher cost than Glacier Deep Archive
- Minimum storage duration: 30 days
- Retrieval fees apply
- Not optimal for indefinite storage with no access
D. S3 One Zone-IA
- Similar to Standard-IA but stores data in only one Availability Zone
- Lower cost than Standard-IA but higher than Glacier Deep Archive
- Higher risk (single AZ failure could cause data loss)
- Not suitable for critical backup files that must be kept indefinitely
Why B is Correct:
- S3 Glacier Deep Archive offers the lowest storage costs (
$0.00099 per GB-month vs $0.0125 per GB-month for Standard-IA)
- Perfect match for the requirement: "files are not accessed after 1 month"
- Designed specifically for long-term archival and compliance
- Lifecycle policies automate the transition after 30 days
- Meets "keep files indefinitely" requirement at minimal cost
Key AWS Concepts:
- S3 Lifecycle policies automate transitions between storage classes
- Glacier Deep Archive is the most cost-effective for data archived for 7+ years
- Minimum storage durations and retrieval fees are important cost considerations
- For predictable access patterns (like 1 month frequent, then never), manual lifecycle configuration is more cost-effective than Intelligent-Tiering
