Persisting EC2 Data Across Terminations with Default Settings
A company is developing an application that runs on Amazon EC2 instances. Currently, the data that the application generates is temporary. However, the company needs to persist the data, even if the EC2 instances are terminated. A data engineer must launch new EC2 instances from an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) and configure the instances to preserve the data. Which solution will meet this requirement?
Community Votes
73% of anonymous learners picked answer C. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
The question tests knowledge of EC2 storage persistence and the critical trap of assuming root EBS volumes persist by default; they do not unless explicitly configured otherwise.
This page explains how to persist application data on Amazon EC2 when instances are terminated, specifically focusing on the default DeleteOnTermination behavior of EBS volumes. It establishes that using an additional non-root EBS volume is the correct solution when default settings must be applied.
Many candidates choose Option B because they assume EBS data always persists regardless of termination settings, failing to notice the 'default settings' constraint which deletes the root volume.
Community Discussion (21 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Option C is the only valid solution because it separates the OS (on instance store) from the data (on a dedicated EBS volume). By attaching an additional EBS volume, the data resides on persistent block storage independent of the instance lifecycle. Crucially, the question mandates applying "default settings." For any attached EBS volume that is NOT the root volume, the defaultDeleteOnTermination attribute is false, meaning the volume survives termination. This perfectly meets the requirement to preserve data without manual configuration changes.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A uses instance store for data, which is ephemeral and lost upon termination or stop, making it unsuitable for persistence. Option B places data on the root EBS volume backed by the AMI. While EBS is persistent generally, the defaultDeleteOnTermination setting for the ROOT volume is true. Therefore, terminating the instance would delete the root volume and all data contained within it. Option D puts data on the instance store, which is volatile and does not survive instance termination.Community Comment Notes
The community largely agrees with Option C, highlighting the nuance of default attributes. As user khchan123 noted, the key is understanding that "you need to attach an extra EBS volume" because the root volume's deletion policy differs from attached volumes. User ampersandor clarified that "the EBS is independent from EC2 Termination" when it is a separate attachment, whereas the root volume is tied to the instance lifecycle by default. Users like pypelyncar pointed out that while EBS is persistent, the specific context of launching from an AMI with defaults makes the root volume vulnerable to deletion.Official Reference
Exam Strategy
Always read the constraint 'Apply the default settings' carefully. In AWS exams, default behaviors often differ between root volumes and attached resources. If you need persistence without changing configurations, look for options that leverage the default 'do not delete' behavior of non-root resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Option B incorrect if EBS is persistent?
EBS is persistent, but the root volume has a default DeleteOnTermination=true. Attaching a separate EBS volume uses the default false, preserving the data.
Can I use Instance Store for persistent data?
No, Instance Store is ephemeral. Data is lost if the instance is stopped, hibernated, or terminated.
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