Amazon AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 8 Q141-160

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Question 141:

A company wants to implement a highly available, fault-tolerant web application across multiple regions while ensuring low latency for global users. Which architecture is most suitable?

Answer:

A) Multi-region deployment using Route 53 latency-based routing, EC2 Auto Scaling groups, and RDS Global Databases
B) Single EC2 instance in one region
C) S3 static website
D) Lambda only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Multi-region deployment allows the application to be deployed in two or more AWS regions. EC2 Auto Scaling groups in each region automatically adjust the number of running instances based on traffic, providing fault tolerance and scalability. RDS Global Databases replicate data asynchronously across regions, ensuring high availability and low-latency reads for global users. Route 53 latency-based routing directs users to the nearest healthy region, optimizing performance.

A single EC2 instance creates a single point of failure and cannot handle high traffic globally. S3 static websites are limited to static content and cannot serve dynamic application logic. Lambda-only solutions require serverless redesign, which may not support relational databases without significant architectural changes.

By leveraging multi-region deployments, organizations can achieve high availability, disaster recovery, and performance optimization. EC2 Auto Scaling integrates with CloudWatch to monitor CPU, memory, and request metrics, automatically scaling resources up or down. ALB distributes traffic across healthy instances and performs health checks to ensure reliability. RDS Global Databases support automated backups, replication, and failover, minimizing downtime and maintaining data consistency.

Security is enforced by isolating resources in private subnets, applying least-privilege IAM roles, and encrypting data at rest with KMS. TLS/HTTPS ensures data in transit is secure. CloudTrail tracks API calls for auditing, while AWS Config monitors compliance with organizational policies.

This architecture aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework by ensuring operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. It provides global low-latency access, automatic failover, and automated scaling, reducing operational complexity and enhancing end-user experience. Organizations benefit from continuous availability, global performance, and compliance with best practices for disaster recovery, fault tolerance, and scalability.

Question 142:

A company wants to ingest and process high-volume streaming data from IoT devices in near real-time and store aggregated results for analytics. Which AWS architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) Amazon Kinesis Data Streams, Lambda, and DynamoDB
B) S3 only
C) EC2 batch processing
D) RDS Multi-AZ

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Kinesis Data Streams provides a durable, scalable, and partitioned mechanism for ingesting high-throughput IoT data in real-time. Data is partitioned into shards, enabling parallel processing and scaling. AWS Lambda processes events as they arrive, performing transformations, aggregations, and validation, then storing results in DynamoDB for low-latency access.

S3 alone is suitable for batch processing but cannot provide real-time ingestion or low-latency analytics. EC2 batch processing requires manual scaling and operational effort, which can introduce latency and operational risk. RDS Multi-AZ is relational and provides high availability but cannot handle streaming data with the same efficiency or scalability as Kinesis.

Kinesis supports data replay, fault tolerance, and integration with other AWS services for complex workflows. Lambda automatically scales with incoming data, handles failures with dead-letter queues, and integrates with monitoring tools. DynamoDB ensures millisecond latency, supports global tables for replication, and provides encryption with KMS for security.

CloudWatch monitors throughput, processing latency, Lambda execution, and DynamoDB performance metrics. CloudTrail provides auditing of all API actions. Step Functions can orchestrate complex workflows, allowing conditional processing, error handling, and notifications. IAM roles enforce least-privilege access, and network isolation via VPC endpoints enhances security.

This architecture enables real-time analytics, anomaly detection, operational monitoring, and reporting with minimal operational overhead. Using serverless and managed services ensures cost efficiency, automatic scaling, fault tolerance, and reduced operational risk. It aligns with the AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, security, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. The design supports high-volume IoT environments, providing global scalability, low-latency analytics, and secure data processing.

Question 143:

A company wants to provide temporary access to S3 objects for external partners without creating IAM users, while ensuring security and auditability. Which approach is best?

Answer:

A) Pre-signed URLs with CloudTrail logging
B) Public S3 bucket
C) Shared IAM credentials
D) S3 Standard storage only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Pre-signed URLs provide temporary access to specific S3 objects without sharing AWS credentials. The URL contains a cryptographic signature and expiration time, restricting actions such as GET or PUT. CloudTrail logging ensures that all access to the S3 objects is tracked for auditing, security, and compliance purposes.

Public S3 buckets are insecure and expose sensitive data. Shared IAM credentials violate the principle of least privilege and are difficult to audit. S3 Standard storage only refers to the storage class and does not provide access control or temporary permissions.

Pre-signed URLs can be generated dynamically using SDKs, Lambda, or API Gateway, ensuring that permissions are time-limited and scoped to specific objects. Encryption at rest using KMS and encryption in transit via HTTPS further enhances security. Access logs can be aggregated, analyzed, and monitored to detect unauthorized access attempts.

This solution minimizes operational overhead by eliminating the need to create and manage temporary IAM users for external partners. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected principles for security, operational excellence, and reliability, providing a secure, auditable, and scalable method for sharing objects. Organizations can implement automated generation, monitoring, and expiration of URLs, maintaining governance and compliance while enabling collaboration with external stakeholders.

Option A is the most appropriate approach for providing temporary access to S3 objects for external partners without creating IAM users, while maintaining security and auditability. Pre-signed URLs allow an organization to grant time-limited permissions to specific S3 objects without sharing AWS credentials. Each URL contains a cryptographic signature and an expiration timestamp, ensuring that access is strictly controlled and limited to the actions permitted, such as GET for downloads or PUT for uploads. This approach provides a secure method for sharing data while avoiding the risk associated with exposing long-term credentials.

CloudTrail logging complements pre-signed URLs by capturing all access events, including who accessed the object, what action was performed, and when it occurred. This creates a complete audit trail that supports security monitoring, compliance reporting, and forensic analysis if needed. Public S3 buckets, option B, are inherently insecure because they expose data to anyone with a link, potentially leading to unauthorized access. Sharing IAM credentials, as in option C, violates the principle of least privilege and complicates auditing and credential rotation. S3 Standard storage, option D, is only a storage class and provides no access control or temporary permission capabilities, making it unsuitable for controlled external access.

Pre-signed URLs can be generated dynamically using AWS SDKs, Lambda functions, or API Gateway endpoints, allowing automated workflows that generate URLs only when needed and enforce strict expiration policies. Security can be further strengthened through encryption at rest using AWS KMS and encryption in transit via HTTPS. Access logs and metrics can be collected and analyzed to detect anomalies or unauthorized attempts, ensuring continuous monitoring and compliance with regulatory standards.

This solution reduces operational overhead by eliminating the need to manually create and manage temporary IAM users for external collaborators. Organizations can implement automated generation, distribution, and expiration of pre-signed URLs, ensuring governance, compliance, and auditability. By combining pre-signed URLs with CloudTrail logging, enterprises achieve a secure, scalable, and highly controlled method for sharing S3 objects, aligning with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for security, operational excellence, and reliability while enabling safe and efficient collaboration with external stakeholders.

Question 144:

A company wants to analyze large volumes of historical S3 data without moving it to a data warehouse. Which AWS service is most suitable?

Answer:

A) Amazon Athena
B) RDS
C) EC2 with custom scripts
D) DynamoDB

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Amazon Athena allows serverless, SQL-based queries directly against data stored in S3. It eliminates the need to move large datasets into a data warehouse, reducing operational complexity and costs. Charges are based on the amount of data scanned, allowing cost optimization.

RDS requires data migration and manual management of infrastructure, increasing operational overhead. EC2 with scripts provides flexibility but lacks scalability, automation, and serverless advantages. DynamoDB is NoSQL and cannot efficiently query large unstructured datasets stored in S3.

Athena integrates with AWS Glue for schema discovery and metadata management, enabling automatic table creation and partitioning. Queries can be optimized using partitioning and compression to minimize data scanned, improving performance and cost efficiency. CloudWatch monitors query execution times, success rates, and error logs, while CloudTrail tracks all access and audit events. IAM policies enforce secure access, and KMS encrypts data at rest to meet compliance requirements.

Organizations benefit from rapid insights into historical datasets, operational simplicity, and cost-effective analytics without deploying or managing servers. Athena supports ad-hoc queries and complex data transformations, enabling real-time decision-making on archived datasets. This solution aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, performance efficiency, security, and cost optimization, providing scalable, secure, and fully managed analytics for business intelligence.

Question 145:

A company wants to migrate an on-premises Oracle database to AWS with minimal downtime while ensuring high availability. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with Amazon RDS Multi-AZ
B) EC2 with self-managed Oracle
C) S3 only
D) DynamoDB

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS DMS allows continuous replication from an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon RDS, enabling near-zero downtime migration. RDS Multi-AZ provides synchronous replication to a standby instance in another Availability Zone, supporting automatic failover for high availability.

EC2 with self-managed Oracle increases operational complexity and requires manual replication, failover, and backup management. S3 is object storage and cannot host a relational database. DynamoDB is NoSQL and incompatible with Oracle workloads.

DMS supports homogeneous migration, ensuring data consistency and integrity. CloudWatch monitors replication performance, CPU utilization, and latency, while CloudTrail audits migration activity. Security is enforced using IAM roles, VPC isolation, and KMS encryption. Automated backups and snapshots in RDS ensure recoverability in case of failure.

This architecture ensures operational efficiency, minimal downtime, high availability, and security. It allows organizations to migrate critical workloads reliably while maintaining performance. Aligning with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles, the solution supports operational excellence, reliability, performance efficiency, and security, providing a scalable and fault-tolerant database migration strategy.

Option A is the most suitable architecture for migrating an on-premises Oracle database to AWS with minimal downtime while ensuring high availability. AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) enables continuous data replication from the source database to Amazon RDS, allowing organizations to perform near-zero downtime migrations. DMS supports both homogeneous migrations, such as Oracle-to-Oracle, and heterogeneous migrations when needed, ensuring that data integrity and consistency are maintained throughout the process. This capability allows businesses to continue operating critical applications during migration without significant disruption.

Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment complements DMS by providing a highly available relational database environment. Multi-AZ RDS synchronously replicates data to a standby instance in a separate Availability Zone. In the event of a failure in the primary instance, RDS automatically fails over to the standby instance, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity. Automated backups, snapshots, and point-in-time recovery further enhance recoverability and protect against data loss. This combination enables organizations to migrate and run production workloads on AWS with high reliability and performance.

Other options are less suitable for achieving minimal downtime and high availability. Deploying Oracle on EC2, as in option B, requires manual setup and ongoing management of replication, failover, and backups, increasing operational complexity and risk. S3, option C, is object storage and cannot host relational databases or provide transactional support. DynamoDB, option D, is a NoSQL service and incompatible with relational Oracle workloads, making it unsuitable for migrations requiring relational integrity.

AWS DMS integrates with monitoring and security services to enhance operational oversight and compliance. CloudWatch provides metrics on replication performance, CPU usage, and latency, enabling proactive troubleshooting and optimization. CloudTrail records all migration activity for auditing and compliance purposes. Security is enforced through IAM roles for fine-grained access control, VPC isolation to protect data in transit, and KMS encryption to secure data at rest.

By combining AWS DMS with RDS Multi-AZ, organizations achieve a migration strategy that ensures minimal downtime, high availability, fault tolerance, and operational efficiency. This architecture allows businesses to migrate critical Oracle workloads reliably, maintain performance during the migration, and align with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, performance efficiency, and security. It provides a scalable, managed, and secure environment suitable for production workloads while minimizing operational overhead and risk.

Question 146:

A company wants to implement a real-time data analytics pipeline for a high-volume streaming dataset while minimizing operational overhead and costs. Which architecture is most appropriate?

Answer:

A) Amazon Kinesis Data Streams, Lambda, and DynamoDB
B) S3 only
C) EC2 batch processing
D) RDS Multi-AZ

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Amazon Kinesis Data Streams ingests high-throughput streaming data reliably, partitioned into shards for parallel processing. AWS Lambda triggers automatically for each incoming event, allowing near real-time transformations, filtering, and aggregations. DynamoDB stores the processed results for low-latency retrieval and supports global tables for multi-region access.

S3 is suitable for batch analytics but cannot handle real-time streaming. EC2 batch processing requires manual scaling and provisioning, increasing operational overhead. RDS Multi-AZ provides high availability for relational workloads but is not optimized for continuous streaming ingestion and processing.

Kinesis supports replayability, durability, and scaling based on workload. Lambda’s serverless nature eliminates infrastructure management, automatically scales to match incoming traffic, and integrates with dead-letter queues for error handling. DynamoDB supports encryption at rest using KMS, IAM-based access control, and automatic scaling for read/write capacity.

CloudWatch monitors throughput, Lambda execution, and DynamoDB performance. CloudTrail provides auditing and traceability of all actions. Step Functions can orchestrate complex workflows, including conditional processing, retries, and notifications. This serverless pipeline reduces operational effort, ensures fault tolerance, supports near real-time analytics, and provides cost-effective scalability.

The architecture aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. Organizations gain the ability to analyze massive streaming datasets in real-time, detect anomalies, generate insights, and respond quickly to events, all while minimizing infrastructure management and operational complexity.

Question 147:

A company wants to provide low-latency global access to a web application while protecting against DDoS attacks and common web exploits. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) Amazon CloudFront with S3 or EC2 origin, AWS WAF, and AWS Shield
B) Single EC2 instance
C) S3 static website
D) Direct Connect

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Amazon CloudFront caches content at edge locations globally, reducing latency for users. The origin can be S3 for static content or EC2 for dynamic content. AWS WAF protects against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other web attacks. AWS Shield provides automatic DDoS mitigation, ensuring application resilience during traffic spikes or attacks.

A single EC2 instance is a single point of failure and cannot deliver low-latency access globally. S3 static websites only support static content and lack dynamic processing capabilities. Direct Connect provides private network connectivity but does not reduce latency or protect against web attacks.

CloudFront enables caching strategies, TTL configuration, and origin failover. Lambda@Edge allows dynamic request and response manipulation for personalization or security enforcement. CloudWatch monitors request latency, cache performance, and error rates. CloudTrail logs API calls and configuration changes for auditing. IAM roles enforce secure access to resources.

This architecture provides high availability, scalability, security, and low-latency access. It reduces operational complexity by leveraging managed services and supports global end-users with consistent performance. Aligning with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles, it ensures operational excellence, performance efficiency, reliability, security, and cost optimization while providing end-to-end security and fault tolerance.

Option A is the most suitable architecture for providing low-latency global access to a web application while protecting against DDoS attacks and common web exploits. Amazon CloudFront is a global Content Delivery Network that caches content at edge locations around the world, reducing latency and improving performance for end users regardless of their geographic location. CloudFront can use Amazon S3 as an origin for static content or EC2 instances for dynamic content, enabling a flexible architecture that supports a wide range of web applications. By serving cached content from edge locations, CloudFront reduces the load on the origin servers and improves responsiveness.

AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) integrates with CloudFront to protect against web application threats such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other malicious attacks. AWS Shield, including the standard tier by default, provides automatic DDoS mitigation, safeguarding the application from volumetric attacks or sudden traffic spikes. Together, WAF and Shield enhance security and maintain application availability during potential threats.

Other options are less suitable for delivering low-latency, secure, and scalable access. A single EC2 instance, option B, is a single point of failure and cannot deliver global performance. S3 static website hosting, option C, only supports static content and cannot process dynamic requests. Direct Connect, option D, provides private network connectivity but does not optimize latency for a global audience and does not include application-layer protections.

CloudFront allows configuration of caching strategies, Time-to-Live (TTL) policies, and origin failover to improve availability. Lambda@Edge can be used to run code at edge locations to modify requests or responses, enabling personalization, security enforcement, or custom headers. CloudWatch monitors request latency, cache hit ratios, error rates, and other key metrics, while CloudTrail logs all API calls and configuration changes for auditing and compliance. IAM roles enforce secure access to underlying AWS resources, and encryption in transit with HTTPS ensures data confidentiality.

This architecture delivers high availability, fault tolerance, scalability, and low-latency access for global users while reducing operational complexity through managed services. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles by ensuring operational excellence, performance efficiency, reliability, security, and cost optimization. By combining CloudFront, WAF, Shield, and managed origins, organizations can provide a resilient, secure, and performant web application capable of serving users worldwide while minimizing infrastructure management overhead.

Question 148:

A company needs to migrate a critical MySQL database to AWS with minimal downtime and maintain high availability. Which approach is most suitable?

Answer:

A) AWS DMS with Amazon RDS Multi-AZ MySQL
B) EC2 with self-managed MySQL
C) S3 only
D) DynamoDB

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) enables near-zero downtime migration by continuously replicating changes from the on-premises MySQL database to Amazon RDS. RDS Multi-AZ ensures high availability by maintaining a synchronous standby in a separate Availability Zone with automatic failover.

EC2 with self-managed MySQL increases operational complexity and requires manual replication, failover, and backups. S3 is object storage, unsuitable for relational databases. DynamoDB is NoSQL and incompatible with MySQL workloads.

DMS supports homogeneous migration, ensuring data integrity and minimal downtime. CloudWatch monitors replication performance, CPU utilization, and latency, while CloudTrail audits all migration operations. RDS Multi-AZ automates backups, patching, and failover. Security is enforced through IAM roles, network isolation, and KMS encryption for data at rest. TLS ensures secure data transmission.

This architecture ensures operational efficiency, high availability, minimal downtime, and scalability. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, security, and performance efficiency. Organizations can safely migrate critical workloads while maintaining business continuity and compliance with minimal disruption to end-users.

Question 149:

A company wants to automate the creation, retention, and deletion of EBS snapshots while replicating them across regions for disaster recovery. Which solution is best?

Answer:

A) Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) with cross-region snapshot copy
B) Manual snapshots
C) EC2 scripts
D) S3 Standard

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) automates snapshot creation, retention, and deletion based on defined policies. Cross-region snapshot copy ensures backups are available in multiple regions, supporting disaster recovery and compliance requirements.

Manual snapshots are prone to human error and require operational effort. EC2 scripts require maintenance, monitoring, and automation logic, increasing complexity. S3 Standard storage only provides object storage and does not support snapshot automation.

DLM creates incremental snapshots, reducing storage costs. Policies can include schedules, retention rules, and cross-region replication. CloudWatch monitors snapshot creation and replication success/failure. CloudTrail provides auditing and traceability of snapshot operations. Snapshots are encrypted using KMS to ensure data security and compliance.

This architecture reduces operational overhead, provides automated disaster recovery, and ensures high availability. Organizations can restore EBS volumes quickly in another region in case of failure. Aligning with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles, it supports operational excellence, security, reliability, and cost optimization, allowing businesses to maintain continuity and minimize downtime.

Option A is the most suitable solution for automating the creation, retention, and deletion of EBS snapshots while replicating them across regions for disaster recovery. Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) allows organizations to define policies that automatically manage snapshots based on schedules and retention rules. By automating these tasks, DLM eliminates manual intervention, reduces the risk of human error, and ensures that backup operations are consistent and reliable. Cross-region snapshot copy extends this automation by replicating snapshots to different AWS regions, providing an additional layer of protection against regional outages and supporting disaster recovery planning as well as regulatory compliance requirements.

Other options are less suitable for achieving efficient and reliable backup automation. Manual snapshots, option B, require administrators to create, track, and delete snapshots individually, which increases operational effort and the likelihood of mistakes. EC2 scripts, option C, demand ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and logic to handle scheduling and error handling, adding complexity and overhead. S3 Standard, option D, is an object storage service and does not provide native EBS snapshot management or cross-region replication functionality, making it unsuitable for automated backup workflows.

DLM supports incremental snapshots, meaning that only blocks changed since the last snapshot are stored, reducing storage costs and improving efficiency. Policies can include snapshot schedules, retention durations, and cross-region replication to ensure backups are available when and where they are needed. CloudWatch monitors metrics related to snapshot creation, deletion, and replication success or failure, while CloudTrail logs all snapshot operations for auditing and traceability. Snapshots can also be encrypted using AWS KMS to maintain data security and meet compliance requirements.

This architecture provides high availability, operational efficiency, and disaster recovery capabilities. Organizations can restore EBS volumes quickly in another region in case of failure, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity. By combining DLM with cross-region snapshot copy, enterprises gain a fully automated, scalable, and secure backup strategy that aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles, including operational excellence, security, reliability, and cost optimization. It reduces operational overhead, enhances fault tolerance, and ensures that critical workloads remain protected and recoverable at all times.

Question 150:

A company wants to provide temporary, secure access to S3 objects for external partners without creating IAM users. Which method is most appropriate?

Answer:

A) Pre-signed URLs with CloudTrail logging
B) Public S3 bucket
C) Shared IAM credentials
D) S3 Standard only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Pre-signed URLs allow temporary access to specific S3 objects without sharing AWS credentials. The URLs include an expiration time and can restrict operations to GET, PUT, or other actions. CloudTrail logging ensures all access is auditable for security and compliance.

Public S3 buckets expose sensitive data to the internet. Shared IAM credentials violate security best practices and are difficult to audit. S3 Standard is a storage class and does not provide access control.

Pre-signed URLs can be generated dynamically using Lambda or API Gateway, enforcing time-limited and scoped permissions. Data at rest is encrypted with KMS, and HTTPS secures transit. Access logs can be aggregated and monitored for suspicious activity.

This approach reduces operational overhead, ensures security, and enables temporary access for external partners. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected principles for security, operational excellence, and reliability. Organizations maintain governance, compliance, and secure collaboration while minimizing administrative complexity.

Question 151:

A company wants to build a serverless web application that scales automatically and charges only for actual compute usage. Which architecture is most suitable?

Answer:

A) AWS Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB
B) EC2 instances
C) Elastic Beanstalk with RDS
D) S3 only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS Lambda provides serverless compute that automatically scales based on demand, billing only for execution time. API Gateway handles HTTP requests and invokes Lambda functions to execute business logic. DynamoDB stores application data with low-latency performance and automatically scales to meet demand.

EC2 instances require manual scaling, patching, and ongoing management, increasing operational overhead. Elastic Beanstalk, while partially managed, is not fully serverless and still requires monitoring of underlying EC2 instances. S3 alone cannot execute dynamic logic and is limited to static content.

This serverless architecture eliminates infrastructure management and provides fault tolerance, high availability, and operational simplicity. Lambda functions can be integrated with other AWS services such as S3, Kinesis, and SNS to build event-driven workflows. CloudWatch monitors Lambda execution, API Gateway latency, and DynamoDB performance metrics. IAM roles enforce least-privilege access, while KMS encryption secures sensitive data.

Organizations benefit from cost optimization since they only pay for compute when functions execute. Auto-scaling and serverless orchestration reduce operational complexity, supporting high-traffic events without manual intervention. The architecture aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, and cost optimization, allowing organizations to focus on application logic rather than infrastructure management.

Question 152:

A company wants to implement a real-time analytics pipeline for IoT data that is highly scalable, fault-tolerant, and low-latency. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) Amazon Kinesis Data Streams, Lambda, and DynamoDB
B) S3 only
C) EC2 batch processing
D) RDS Multi-AZ

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Kinesis Data Streams provides high-throughput ingestion for streaming data, partitioned into shards to allow parallel processing. AWS Lambda processes each incoming event in real-time, performing validation, transformation, and aggregation before storing results in DynamoDB for low-latency retrieval.

S3 is suited for batch analytics but cannot provide real-time processing. EC2 batch jobs require manual scaling and cannot handle dynamic, high-volume streaming workloads efficiently. RDS Multi-AZ offers relational database high availability but lacks the native ability to process streaming data in real-time at scale.

Kinesis ensures durability and replayability, allowing data to be reprocessed in case of errors. Lambda scales automatically, manages compute, and integrates with dead-letter queues for error handling. DynamoDB supports encryption at rest, IAM access control, global tables for multi-region replication, and automatic scaling of throughput.

CloudWatch monitors processing latency, throughput, and errors. CloudTrail tracks API calls for auditing and compliance. Step Functions can orchestrate complex workflows for additional processing, notifications, or integrations.

This serverless and managed solution minimizes operational overhead, supports fault tolerance, and enables rapid insights from IoT data streams. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, performance efficiency, security, and cost optimization. Organizations can deploy a globally scalable, real-time analytics pipeline without managing underlying infrastructure, supporting business-critical IoT operations efficiently.

Question 153:

A company wants to provide secure, temporary access to S3 objects for external users without creating IAM users. Which method is recommended?

Answer:

A) Pre-signed URLs with CloudTrail logging
B) Public S3 bucket
C) Shared IAM credentials
D) S3 Standard only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Pre-signed URLs provide time-limited, secure access to specific S3 objects without requiring AWS credentials. The expiration ensures access is temporary, while CloudTrail logs track all operations for auditing purposes.

Public S3 buckets expose data to the internet, creating security risks. Shared IAM credentials violate best practices and complicate auditing. S3 Standard is a storage class and does not provide access control mechanisms.

Pre-signed URLs can be generated dynamically using AWS SDKs, Lambda, or API Gateway. Encryption at rest with KMS and HTTPS in transit ensures secure data handling. Access logs and monitoring enable auditing for compliance and anomaly detection.

This approach provides operational simplicity, security, and governance. It ensures external users have controlled, auditable access to objects while eliminating the need for IAM user management. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, security, reliability, and cost optimization. Organizations maintain secure collaboration while minimizing administrative overhead and risk exposure.

Question 154:

A company wants to implement automated snapshots for EBS volumes and replicate them to another region for disaster recovery. Which solution is most suitable?

Answer:

A) Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) with cross-region snapshot copy
B) Manual snapshots
C) EC2 scripts
D) S3 Standard

Explanation:

Option A is correct. DLM automates snapshot creation, retention, and deletion based on policies. Cross-region replication ensures snapshots are available in a different region for disaster recovery and compliance.

Manual snapshots require human intervention and can be inconsistent. EC2 scripts require ongoing maintenance and monitoring. S3 Standard provides object storage but cannot automate EBS snapshots.

DLM creates incremental snapshots, minimizing storage costs. Policies can include schedules, retention rules, and cross-region replication. CloudWatch monitors snapshot status, and CloudTrail provides auditing. KMS encryption ensures data security, and IAM enforces access control.

This architecture reduces operational overhead, ensures disaster recovery readiness, and provides high availability. Organizations can restore EBS volumes in another region quickly during a failure, ensuring business continuity. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, security, and cost optimization, enabling automated, secure, and scalable backup management.

Question 155:

A company wants to reduce latency for a global web application and improve performance for users worldwide. Which architecture is most suitable?

Answer:

A) Amazon CloudFront with S3 or EC2 origin
B) EC2 in a single region
C) S3 only
D) Direct Connect

Explanation:

Option A is correct. CloudFront caches content at edge locations globally, reducing latency by serving content from locations near users. The origin can be S3 for static content or EC2 for dynamic content.

EC2 in a single region increases latency for distant users. S3 alone cannot provide low-latency global access. Direct Connect provides dedicated network connectivity but does not improve content delivery globally.

CloudFront supports caching strategies, TTL configuration, origin failover, and Lambda@Edge for dynamic content modification. AWS WAF protects against web attacks, and AWS Shield mitigates DDoS threats. CloudWatch monitors latency, cache hit ratios, and error rates. CloudTrail logs configuration and access events.

This architecture improves global user experience, ensures high availability, security, and operational simplicity. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected principles for performance efficiency, operational excellence, reliability, security, and cost optimization, providing scalable and secure global content delivery.

Question 156:

A company wants to migrate an on-premises SQL Server database to AWS with minimal downtime and high availability. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) AWS DMS with Amazon RDS Multi-AZ SQL Server
B) EC2 with self-managed SQL Server
C) S3 only
D) DynamoDB

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS DMS supports continuous replication from on-premises SQL Server to Amazon RDS, enabling near-zero downtime migration. RDS Multi-AZ ensures high availability with synchronous replication to a standby instance in another Availability Zone.

EC2 with self-managed SQL Server increases operational complexity and requires manual replication and failover management. S3 is object storage and unsuitable for relational databases. DynamoDB is NoSQL and cannot host SQL Server workloads.

DMS ensures data integrity, supports ongoing replication, and minimizes downtime. RDS automates backups, patching, and failover. CloudWatch monitors performance, replication lag, and instance health. CloudTrail audits migration activity. Security is enforced with IAM, VPC isolation, and KMS encryption.

This solution ensures minimal downtime, high availability, and secure migration. Aligning with AWS Well-Architected principles, it supports operational excellence, reliability, performance efficiency, and security while allowing organizations to migrate critical workloads safely.

Question 157:

A company wants to implement automated compliance monitoring and remediation for IAM policies across multiple AWS accounts. Which approach is recommended?

Answer:

A) AWS Config with AWS Organizations
B) IAM policies only
C) EC2 scripts
D) S3 only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS Config evaluates resources against compliance rules, such as ensuring IAM policies do not grant excessive permissions. With AWS Organizations, these compliance rules can be applied across multiple accounts centrally, enabling automated governance at scale. Config rules can be paired with automatic remediation actions to fix non-compliant policies without human intervention.

IAM policies alone cannot monitor or enforce compliance across accounts and lack automation for remediation. EC2 scripts require maintenance, manual triggering, and monitoring, introducing operational risk. S3 does not provide IAM policy monitoring capabilities.

Using Config with Organizations, auditors can access centralized dashboards of compliance status. CloudWatch integrates for alerting when resources fall out of compliance. CloudTrail logs API activity for audit trails, ensuring traceability of changes. Config rules can automatically revoke excessive permissions or enforce least-privilege principles, maintaining organizational security standards.

This approach enhances security governance, reduces operational effort, and enforces continuous compliance. Organizations benefit from automated monitoring and remediation, reducing human error. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, security, reliability, and performance efficiency, enabling secure, scalable, and maintainable IAM governance across a multi-account AWS environment.

Question 158:

A company wants to implement a serverless architecture for a web application that automatically scales and charges only for usage. Which AWS services should be used?

Answer:

A) AWS Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB
B) EC2 instances
C) Elastic Beanstalk with RDS
D) S3 only

Explanation:

Option A is correct. AWS Lambda executes application logic without the need to provision or manage servers. API Gateway exposes RESTful endpoints to clients, triggering Lambda functions based on HTTP requests. DynamoDB provides a fully managed NoSQL database with low-latency access and automatic scaling to accommodate traffic spikes.

EC2 instances require server management, patching, and scaling, increasing operational overhead. Elastic Beanstalk simplifies deployment but is not fully serverless and still relies on underlying EC2 instances. S3 alone cannot run dynamic application logic and only serves static content.

The serverless architecture automatically scales with traffic, ensuring high availability and fault tolerance. Lambda integrates with other AWS services such as S3, Kinesis, and SNS to create event-driven workflows. CloudWatch monitors Lambda execution metrics, API Gateway request performance, and DynamoDB read/write throughput. IAM roles enforce least-privilege access, and KMS encrypts sensitive data at rest.

This architecture reduces operational complexity, cost, and risk, as organizations pay only for actual execution and storage usage. Auto-scaling is automatic, and fault tolerance is inherent. The solution aligns with AWS Well-Architected principles for operational excellence, reliability, performance efficiency, security, and cost optimization. It supports rapid development and deployment of scalable applications while focusing on business logic rather than infrastructure management.

Question 159:

A company wants to provide low-latency access to a global web application while securing it against web attacks. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) Amazon CloudFront with S3 or EC2 origin, AWS WAF, and AWS Shield
B) Single EC2 instance
C) S3 static website
D) Direct Connect

Explanation:

Option A is correct. CloudFront distributes content globally from edge locations, reducing latency by serving content closer to end-users. The origin can be S3 for static content or EC2 for dynamic content. AWS WAF protects against SQL injection, XSS, and other web exploits. AWS Shield provides DDoS protection for infrastructure and ensures uptime during high-traffic attacks.

A single EC2 instance is a single point of failure and cannot provide low-latency global access. S3 static websites are limited to static content and lack dynamic processing capabilities. Direct Connect provides private network connectivity but does not improve content delivery or security.

CloudFront supports caching strategies, TTL configuration, and origin failover. Lambda@Edge enables request/response manipulation for personalization or security enhancements. CloudWatch monitors latency, cache hit ratios, and error rates. CloudTrail logs all configuration and access events for auditing. IAM roles enforce access control, and KMS ensures data encryption.

This architecture improves performance, global availability, security, and operational efficiency. Organizations benefit from low-latency content delivery, protection against attacks, and simplified management. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected principles, ensuring operational excellence, performance efficiency, security, reliability, and cost optimization while providing a globally scalable and secure solution.

Question 160:

A company wants to implement a highly available, fault-tolerant database solution for a critical production workload with automated backups and failover. Which architecture is recommended?

Answer:

A) Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment
B) EC2 with self-managed database
C) S3 only
D) DynamoDB

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Amazon RDS Multi-AZ provides synchronous replication to a standby instance in another Availability Zone. This ensures high availability, automated failover in case of instance failure, and minimal downtime. Automated backups and snapshots are included, allowing point-in-time recovery and compliance with business continuity requirements.

EC2 with a self-managed database increases operational complexity as the organization must handle replication, patching, backups, and failover manually. S3 is object storage and cannot serve as a relational database. DynamoDB is NoSQL and may not meet relational requirements such as complex joins or transactions.

RDS Multi-AZ supports encryption at rest with KMS, TLS for data in transit, and integration with CloudWatch for monitoring performance metrics, CPU, memory, and replication lag. CloudTrail logs API calls for auditing and compliance. Multi-AZ deployments reduce risk of downtime, providing fault tolerance and resilience for critical production workloads.

This architecture ensures operational efficiency, high availability, scalability, security, and reliability. Organizations benefit from reduced operational overhead while maintaining business continuity and compliance. It aligns with AWS Well-Architected Framework principles for operational excellence, reliability, security, performance efficiency, and cost optimization. The solution provides a robust, fully managed relational database suitable for production workloads that require minimal downtime, automated backups, and secure access.