Lowest Cost S3 Storage Class for Rare Access

CLF-C02 By islever Editorial Last updated

Identify AWS storage services.

Short answer

B Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval provides the lowest storage cost for data accessed rarely (quarterly or less) while maintaining millisecond retrieval speeds.

Question

A company stores a large amount of data that auditors access only twice each year. Which Amazon S3 storage class should the company use to store the data with the LOWEST cost?
  1. Amazon S3 Outposts
  2. Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval Correct Answer
  3. Amazon S3 Standard
  4. Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering

Key Takeaways

Tests knowledge of S3 storage class pricing models and retrieval speeds, with the common trap being the selection of Intelligent-Tiering due to its automation rather than absolute lowest unit price.

Determines the most cost-effective Amazon S3 storage class for data accessed only twice a year, identifying Glacier Instant Retrieval as the optimal choice among available options.

Common mistake: Selecting Intelligent-Tiering (D) because it is often the default answer for 'unknown access patterns,' but failing to account for retrieval fees that make it more expensive than Glacier Instant Retrieval for strictly infrequent access.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval is designed for long-lived data stored for at least 90 days that is accessed once a quarter or less frequently. It provides millisecond retrieval times at the lowest storage costs for infrequently accessed data. Since the auditors access the data only twice a year, this aligns perfectly with the use case for Glacier Instant Retrieval, which offers lower storage costs compared to Standard, Intelligent-Tiering, and Outposts.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

S3 Standard (C) is for frequently accessed data and has the highest storage cost. S3 Intelligent-Tiering (D) automatically moves data between tiers, but for data with known, predictable low access (twice a year), the Archive Access Tier incurs retrieval fees ($0.01/GB) that make it more expensive overall than Glacier Instant Retrieval ($0.004/GB storage + $0.03/GB retrieval). S3 Outposts (A) is for on-premises-like environments and is not optimized for lowest cost archival.

Community Comment Notes

The majority correctly identified B, noting that Intelligent-Tiering is better for unpredictable access patterns. One commenter calculated costs showing Intelligent-Tiering's retrieval fees add up. Another noted that while Glacier Deep Archive would be cheaper, it wasn't an option, making Glacier Instant Retrieval the best remaining choice for fast retrieval needs.

Official Reference

https://aws.amazon.com/s3/storage-classes/

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When asked for the 'lowest cost' for infrequent access, always compare S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval against S3 Intelligent-Tiering (Archive Access Tier). If the access pattern is known and rare (e.g., quarterly), Glacier Instant Retrieval is typically cheaper due to lower per-GB storage costs, whereas Intelligent-Tiering adds value for unknown patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Intelligent-Tiering not the cheapest here?

Intelligent-Tiering has retrieval fees for the Archive Access Tier. For known rare access (twice/year), Glacier Instant Retrieval's lower storage rate outweighs these fees.

Is Glacier Deep Archive cheaper?

Yes, Glacier Deep Archive is cheaper for storage, but it has slower retrieval times (minutes to hours). This question implies need for standard access, and Deep Archive wasn't an option.

More CLF-C02 FAQ →

Community Votes

B
65%
D
35%

65% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 11 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 11

  1. HappyG 👍 3 Answered D
    Glacier Instant Retrieval Storage Cost: $0.004 1,000 GB = $4.00 per month Annual Cost (12 months): $4.00 12 = $48.00 Retrieval Cost (per retrieval): $0.03 1,000 GB = $30.00 Intelligent-Tiering (Archive Access Tier) Storage Cost: $0.004 1,000 GB = $4.00 per month Annual Cost (12 months): $4.00 12 = $48.00 Retrieval Cost (per retrieval): $0.01 1,000 GB = $10.00 Request Cost: $10.00 per 1,000 requests Total Cost for 1 Year (including retrievals): Glacier Instant Retrieval: $48.00 (storage) + $60.00 (two retrievals) = $108.00 Intelligent-Tiering (Archive Access Tier): $48.00 (storage) + $20.00 (two retrievals) + $20.00 (two requests) = $88.00
  2. Tithink 👍 3 Answered B
    The best choice for storing data that is accessed infrequently (only twice a year) at the lowest cost is Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive. However, since this option isn’t listed, the closest alternative is Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval (option B). Therefore, Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval (option B) is the most suitable choice among the given options for infrequent access at a lower cost.
  3. FMORADELL 👍 3 Answered B
    This storage class is designed for data that is rarely accessed but requires quick retrieval when needed. It's ideal for archival data that is accessed occasionally and offers the lowest cost for infrequent access with fast retrieval times.
  4. a77c459 👍 3 Answered B
    Looks like B is the right answer. Intelligent tiering is for the data that is frequently used.
  5. Yak_Yeti 👍 2 Answered B
    B. Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval - lowest cost for infrequent access, but fast retrieval S3 Intelligent-Tiering is the recommended storage class for data with unknown, changing, or unpredictable access patterns, independent of object size or retention period, such as data lakes, data analytics, and new applications. https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/intelligent-tiering.html#:~:text=The%20S3%20Intelligent-Tiering%20storage%20class%20supports%20all%20Amazon,endpoint%20in%20a%20virtual%20private%20%20cloud%20%28VPC%29
Show 6 more comments
  1. geocis 👍 2 Answered D
    Amazon S3 Intellignet-Tiering as the storage cost is lower for infrequent data compared to S3 Standard, Glacier Instant Retrieval, and Outpost.
  2. ShaiTay 👍 2 Answered B
    B. Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval - lowest cost for infrequent access, but fast retrieval
  3. Nikmah 👍 1 Answered B
    Amazon S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval • Millisecond retrieval, great for data accessed once a quarter • Minimum storage duration of 90 days
  4. NetworkTester1235 👍 1 Answered D
    Considering that Intelligent-Tiering has been the answer for "cheap" on this website until now, I'm inclined to vote for it.
  5. VerRi 👍 1 Answered B
    Glacier is the cheapest option here. Intelligent-Tiering is for unpredictable scenarios
  6. Bantum_Chaos 👍 2 Answered D
    D is correct

Reader comments & corrections

No reader corrections yet — spotted an error or have a note? Share it below.

Log in to comment, report an error, or add a note about this question.

Submitted for moderation before publishing. Keep it helpful and respectful.

Which migration strategies move a cloud-incompatible CMS with least effort?

S-grade

Launching Third-Party IDS in AWS

S-grade

Which AWS Support Plan Offers API Access Most Cost-Effectively?

S-grade

S3 Express One Zone for Single-Digit Millisecond Latency

S-grade

Practice All CLF-C02 Questions

Access 120 questions with complete answers and detailed explanations.

View Full CLF-C02 Practice Test →

← Back to CLF-C02 Study Guide