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SAA-C03 - Design High-Performing Architectures - Section 3.1

Determine high-performing object and file storage using Amazon S3, Amazon EFS and Amazon FSx.

Compare Amazon S3 object storage, Amazon EFS network file storage, and Amazon FSx managed file systems and identify which suits each workload by access pattern, throughput requirements, and protocol. Recognise that S3 scales request rates automatically per prefix, and that EFS and FSx for Lustre are appropriate when multiple compute instances need shared POSIX file access at low latency.

Amazon S3Amazon EFSAmazon FSxS3 request rates

Practice question for this objective

Free sampleDesign High-Performing Architecturesmedium

A company is choosing a fully managed AWS file storage service for two separate workloads. Workload one is a Linux analytics fleet that needs a shared POSIX file system mountable over NFS by thousands of EC2 instances at once with elastic capacity. Workload two is a Windows application that needs an SMB share supporting NTFS access control lists and joined to the existing Microsoft Active Directory domain. The team wants each workload on the service purpose-built for it with the least operational overhead. Which two service selections are correct? Select TWO.

  • AUse Amazon EFS for the Linux analytics fleet because it provides an elastic NFS file system that many EC2 instances can mount concurrently. Correct
  • BUse Amazon S3 with a mounted file gateway for the Linux analytics fleet so the instances share files through object storage.
  • CUse Amazon FSx for Windows File Server for the Windows application because it offers SMB shares with NTFS ACLs and Active Directory support. Correct
  • DUse Amazon EFS for the Windows application by enabling its SMB protocol option and joining the share to Active Directory.
  • EUse Amazon FSx for Lustre for the Windows application because it is the managed Windows file service with Active Directory support.
Match shared file storage to protocol needs by selecting Amazon EFS for elastic Linux NFS access and Amazon FSx for Windows File Server for SMB with Active Directory. Amazon EFS provides an elastic NFS file system for concurrent POSIX access from many Linux instances, while Amazon FSx for Windows File Server provides native SMB with NTFS ACLs and Active Directory integration; each is purpose-built for its protocol, so pairing them by workload meets both requirements with minimal operational effort.

Why A is correct: Amazon EFS is a managed elastic NFS file system designed for concurrent POSIX access from large Linux fleets, matching workload one exactly.

Why B is wrong: S3 is object storage and a file gateway adds latency and complexity; it is not the purpose-built shared POSIX file system this NFS workload needs.

Why C is correct: FSx for Windows File Server delivers fully managed SMB storage with NTFS permissions and Active Directory support, meeting workload two precisely.

Why D is wrong: Amazon EFS speaks NFS only and has no SMB or NTFS ACL support, so it cannot serve the Windows Active Directory share this workload requires.

Why E is wrong: FSx for Lustre is a high-performance Linux file system for HPC, not a Windows SMB service, so it does not fit the Active Directory requirement.

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