ACloud Guru Certified Cloud Practitioner Practice Exam

Which S3 storage class is most cost-effective for long-term data storage?

1. S3 Standard Infrequently-Accessed

2. S3 Intelligent Tiering

3. S3 Standard

4. Glacier

The correct answer is: Glacier

Choosing Glacier as the most cost-effective storage class for long-term data storage is based on its design for archival and infrequent access. Amazon S3 Glacier provides significant savings compared to other storage classes, especially for data that is rarely accessed. This class is particularly beneficial for organizations that need to retain data for extended periods due to legal or compliance requirements but do not require immediate access to that data. S3 Glacier is optimized for durability and is considerably cheaper than standard and infrequent access classes, making it ideal for long-term storage scenarios where access times can afford to be slower. While others might offer more accessible retrieval options, they do not match Glacier's cost-effectiveness for data that is meant to be stored long-term and accessed infrequently. By using Glacier, organizations can store large amounts of data securely while managing their storage costs effectively, making it the preferred choice for long-term data retention needs.