FSx for Lustre with Snowball Edge and S3 Integration

SAA-C03 By islever Editorial Last updated

Determine appropriate data security controls.

Short answer

B Import data to S3 from Snowball Edge, then link an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system to the S3 bucket for HPC access.

Question

A company copies 200 TB of data from a recent ocean survey onto AWS Snowball Edge Storage Optimized devices. The company has a high performance computing (HPC) cluster that is hosted on AWS to look for oil and gas deposits. A solutions architect must provide the cluster with consistent sub-millisecond latency and high-throughput access to the data on the Snowball Edge Storage Optimized devices. The company is sending the devices back to AWS. Which solution will meet these requirements?
  1. Create an Amazon S3 bucket. Import the data into the S3 bucket. Configure an AWS Storage Gateway file gateway to use the S3 bucket. Access the file gateway from the HPC cluster instances.
  2. Create an Amazon S3 bucket. Import the data into the S3 bucket. Configure an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system, and integrate it with the S3 bucket. Access the FSx for Lustre file system from the HPC cluster instances. Correct Answer
  3. Create an Amazon S3 bucket and an Amazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS) file system. Import the data into the S3 bucket. Copy the data from the S3 bucket to the EFS file system. Access the EFS file system from the HPC cluster instances.
  4. Create an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system. Import the data directly into the FSx for Lustre file system. Access the FSx for Lustre file system from the HPC cluster instances.

Key Takeaways

This question tests the specific data flow architecture required for high-performance computing workloads: Snowball Edge cannot write directly to FSx for Lustre; S3 is the mandatory intermediary storage layer.

To provide sub-millisecond latency to an HPC cluster using data from Snowball Edge, you must import the data into Amazon S3 and then integrate it with Amazon FSx for Lustre.

Common mistake: Many candidates choose Option D, incorrectly assuming that data can be imported directly into FSx for Lustre from external devices like Snowball Edge, ignoring AWS's architectural constraints.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Option B is the correct solution because it follows the standard AWS pattern for connecting offline transfer devices to high-performance file systems. AWS Snowball Edge Storage Optimized devices are designed to upload data directly to Amazon S3 buckets. Once the data resides in S3, you can create an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system linked to that S3 bucket. This integration allows the HPC cluster instances to access the data via the FSx for Lustre mount point, providing the required consistent sub-millisecond latency and high throughput through features like lazy loading and caching.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option D is incorrect because there is no direct API or mechanism to import data from a Snowball Edge device straight into an FSx for Lustre file system; S3 is the required intermediate store. Option A uses an AWS Storage Gateway File Gateway, which is designed for on-premises hybrid access and introduces network latency over the internet or Direct Connect, failing to meet the sub-millisecond HPC requirement. Option C involves copying data to Amazon EFS, which is a general-purpose NFS file system not optimized for the extreme IOPS and throughput required by HPC clusters compared to FSx for Lustre.

Community Comment Notes

The community consensus heavily favors Option B, with multiple users noting that "No direct integration between Snowball and Fsx for Lustre" exists. As Linuslin noted, the path is strictly "Snowball Edge (Storage Optimized) --> S3 --integrate--> FSx for Lustre." Some learners were confused by the performance implications, but the architectural constraint of the missing direct link makes Option B the only viable technical path.

Official Reference

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/fsx/latest/LustreGuide/create-dra-linked-data-repo.html

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

Exam Strategy

Always identify the 'intermediary' service when dealing with offline data transfer tools like Snowball. If the target workload requires high-performance networking (like HPC), prioritize FSx for Lustre over EFS or Storage Gateway, but remember that Snowball talks to S3 first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Snowball Edge write directly to FSx for Lustre?

No. Snowball Edge devices upload data to Amazon S3. FSx for Lustre must be configured as a linked repository pointing to that S3 bucket.

Why is EFS not suitable for this HPC scenario?

Amazon EFS is a general-purpose file system. For HPC workloads requiring sub-millisecond latency and massive throughput, FSx for Lustre is the specialized, high-performance choice.

More SAA-C03 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 21 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 21

  1. Linuslin 👍 12 Answered B
    No direct integration between Snowball and Fsx for Lustre. It must be via S3. Snowball Edge (Storage Optimized) --> S3 --integrate--> FSx for Lustre https://docs.aws.amazon.com/fsx/latest/LustreGuide/create-dra-linked-data-repo.html https://aws.amazon.com/tw/blogs/aws/enhanced-amazon-s3-integration-for-amazon-fsx-for-lustre/
  2. Cali182 👍 12 Answered D
    Option D Option A, B, and C involve using Amazon S3 or Amazon EFS as an intermediary storage layer, which may introduce additional latency and overhead, not meeting the requirement of consistent sub-millisecond latency. Therefore, Option D is the most suitable solution for this scenario.
  3. trinh_le 👍 5 Answered B
    You cannot access the FSx for Lustre file system from the HPC cluster instances and this is only possible via S3
  4. 1Alpha1 👍 4 Answered B
    Its B. Snowball Edge (Storage Optimized) --> S3 --integrate--> FSx for Lustre
  5. FZA24 👍 4 Answered B
    It should be B. No direct integration between Snowball and Fsx for Lustre
Show 16 more comments
  1. [Removed] 👍 3 Answered B
    According to Copilot: Transferring data directly from AWS Snowball Edge to Amazon FSx for Lustre is not a standard process supported directly by AWS.
  2. mgrimandi 👍 2
    B https://medium.com/@abylead/amazon-fsx-for-migration-and-certification-f3cb7b4dd843
  3. FlyingHawk 👍 1 Answered B
    it is not possible to import data directly from Snowball Edge Storage Optimized devices to Amazon FSx for Lustre, FSx for Lustre is designed to work seamlessly with data stored in Amazon S3, providing integration for high-performance access and lazy loading. Snowball Edge devices are designed to securely transfer data to AWS services, particularly Amazon S3. https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/storage/automatically-import-objects-from-amazon-s3-into-amazon-fsx-for-lustre/
  4. iczcezar 👍 1 Answered D
    Option D, creating an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system and importing the data directly into it, is indeed the most suitable solution for this scenario. By bypassing an intermediary storage layer and directly importing the data into FSx for Lustre, the solution ensures optimal performance with consistent sub-millisecond latency and high throughput, meeting the requirements of the HPC cluster. Thank you for pointing out the clarity.
  5. DZRomero 👍 1 Answered D
    Import data to AWS services: When AWS receives the device, the data is automatically imported into the designated AWS service or Amazon S3 bucket based on your configuration. For example, if you need to access the data from an HPC cluster running on AWS, you would import the data into an Amazon FSx for Lustre file system or Amazon S3, and then access it from your HPC cluster instances. No need S3 bucket
  6. 67a3f49 👍 1
    Cali182 you cannot directly copy from Snowball Edge to FSx for luster
  7. alawada 👍 1 Answered D
    -millisecond latency and high-throughput access
  8. a8a1e0e 👍 1 Answered B
    Integration from Snowall to Fsc only with S3
  9. Abdullah2004 👍 1 Answered D
    The correct answer is D for sure
  10. Andy_09 👍 5
    My bad...it should be B
  11. n999 👍 4 Answered B
    B for sure
  12. sandordini 👍 3 Answered D
    HPC = Lustre
  13. MattBJ 👍 3 Answered B
    B is correct
  14. sukjubae 👍 3
    B is right
  15. Darshan07 👍 2 Answered D
    D is the correct answer
  16. Andy_09 👍 1
    Correct answer D

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