AWS Cloud Architecture (D319)

Correct Answer

A. Using a Region as close as possible to users can reduce latency

Explanation

Deploying resources in a Region that is geographically close to end users helps minimize latency by reducing the distance data must travel. This results in faster load times and improved application performance. AWS has a global infrastructure with multiple Regions to allow customers to deploy services where it best serves their business and user base.

Why other options are wrong

B. Data stored in an AWS Region isn't subject to geographical compliance requirements

This statement is incorrect because AWS customers are responsible for ensuring their data complies with local laws and regulations. In fact, choosing a specific Region often helps organizations meet geographical compliance requirements, such as data residency rules under GDPR or other national regulations.

C. All available Regions are enabled by default in an AWS account

Not all Regions are enabled by default in an AWS account. Some newer or restricted Regions require manual activation through the AWS Management Console. This practice enhances security and control, allowing customers to limit where resources can be deployed.

D. All AWS accounts can access all AWS Regions

Access to AWS Regions may be restricted based on account settings or service availability. For example, certain specialized Regions (like AWS GovCloud) have access limitations and require separate account setup and authorization. Therefore, not every AWS account can automatically access every Region.

Correct Answer

A. Simple Notification Service

Explanation

SNS stands for Simple Notification Service, which is a fully managed messaging service provided by AWS. It allows users to send notifications from the cloud to distributed systems or mobile devices. SNS supports various protocols such as SMS, email, and push notifications.

Why other options are wrong

B. Standard Notification Service

There is no AWS service called "Standard Notification Service." The correct name is Simple Notification Service (SNS).

C. Solicited Notification Service

There is no such service called "Solicited Notification Service" in AWS. The proper term is Simple Notification Service (SNS).

D. Stuttered Notification Service

"Stuttered Notification Service" is not an AWS service and doesn't correspond to any known notification service. The correct answer is Simple Notification Service (SNS).

Correct Answer

B. Conduct a canary deployment where the new feature is rolled out to a small subset of users before a full launch.

Explanation

A canary deployment is an effective AWS best practice for minimizing risk during deployment. It involves releasing a new feature to a small subset of users first. This allows the team to test the feature in a real production environment while limiting the impact of any potential issues. If the canary deployment succeeds, the feature can be gradually rolled out to the rest of the users, ensuring minimal disruption to the overall user experience.

Why other options are wrong

A. Deploy the new feature directly to the production environment and monitor for issues.

Deploying directly to production without a controlled rollout can expose all users to potential issues if the feature does not work as expected. This approach lacks safeguards and could lead to widespread user disruption. Monitoring issues is important, but this method does not minimize risk adequately.

C. Make the changes during scheduled downtime and revert if necessary using backups.

While scheduled downtime may help manage changes, it is not an ideal approach for minimizing risk. Users may experience inconvenience during the downtime, and reverting to backups can be time-consuming and inefficient. Additionally, backups cannot undo all types of errors, and it does not guarantee that issues will be detected before full deployment.

D. Implement the new feature on a separate server and switch traffic to it all at once after testing.

Switching traffic to a new server all at once after testing could introduce risk if the new server or feature is not fully compatible with the rest of the application. It also lacks the gradual, controlled rollout that is provided by a canary deployment. This approach might cause disruptions for users if any unexpected problems arise.

Correct Answer

B. To enable the deployment and management of containerized applications at scale

Explanation

AWS Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a fully managed container orchestration service designed to enable users to easily run and manage Docker containers at scale. ECS automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, making it easier to run and orchestrate containerized workloads on AWS infrastructure.

Why other options are wrong

A. To provide a fully managed database service for relational data

This is incorrect because Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) is the AWS service designed for fully managed relational databases, not ECS. ECS is focused on containerized application management, not databases.

C. To offer a serverless computing environment for running code without provisioning servers

This is incorrect because AWS Lambda is the serverless service designed for running code without provisioning or managing servers. ECS requires provisioning resources for running containers, unlike Lambda which abstracts infrastructure.

D. To facilitate the creation of data visualizations and dashboards for analytics

This is incorrect because Amazon QuickSight is the AWS service for creating data visualizations and dashboards, not ECS. ECS is focused on managing containerized applications, not on analytics or visualization tasks.

Correct Answer

A. A dedicated network connection from an on-premises network to AWS that uses 802.1q

Explanation

AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated, private network connection from your on-premises data center or office to AWS. This connection uses 802.1q VLAN tagging to facilitate secure and high-bandwidth data transfer without the limitations of the public internet. It offers more stable and reliable connectivity compared to internet-based connections.

Why other options are wrong

B. A private telecommunications circuit from an on-premises network direct into AWS that uses Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)

This description is incorrect. AWS Direct Connect does not use PPP; it utilizes Ethernet-based connections (VLANs) for communication, making it different from a typical telecommunications circuit using PPP.

C. An encrypted tunnel that connects an on-premises network to AWS over the internet

This describes AWS VPN, not Direct Connect. AWS VPN creates an encrypted tunnel over the internet, while AWS Direct Connect offers a physical, private connection that bypasses the internet.

D. An extension of the AWS Cloud into customer data centers that uses AWS hardware installed on premises

This describes AWS Outposts, which allows customers to run AWS infrastructure on-premises. AWS Direct Connect does not involve AWS hardware on-site; it is simply a dedicated connection to AWS services from on-premises infrastructure.

Correct Answer

A. It provides you with AWS resource inventory, configuration history, and configuration change notifications

Explanation

AWS Config is a service that provides an inventory of your AWS resources, tracks their configuration history, and notifies you about configuration changes. This service allows you to evaluate the compliance of your resource configurations with industry standards and internal policies.

Why other options are wrong

B. It provides real-time monitoring of your AWS resources for security threats

AWS Config does not monitor security threats in real-time; this function is typically handled by services like AWS GuardDuty or AWS Security Hub.

C. It provides fully managed serverless architecture to deploy your applications

AWS Config is not designed for deploying applications. For serverless application deployment, services like AWS Lambda, API Gateway, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk are used.

D. It provides managed data warehousing solution for big data analytics

AWS Config is not a data warehousing service. For data warehousing, AWS offers Amazon Redshift, which is specifically designed for big data analytics.

Correct Answer

C. Elastic Container Service (ECS)

Explanation

Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a fully managed container orchestration service that enables you to run and manage Docker containers at scale. It handles the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, making it the best option for container cluster management.

Why other options are wrong

A. Elastic Container Registry (ECR)

This is incorrect because ECR is a managed container image registry service, used for storing and managing Docker container images, but it does not manage or scale container clusters.

B. ElastiCache

This is incorrect because ElastiCache is a managed service for in-memory caching and is not related to container cluster management.

D. Elastic Block Store (EBS)

This is incorrect because EBS is a block-level storage service that provides persistent storage for EC2 instances, not container management or orchestration.

Correct Answer

A. CloudTrail

Explanation

AWS CloudTrail enables you to log, continuously monitor, and retain account activity related to actions across your AWS infrastructure. It records API calls and events made on AWS resources, providing a detailed audit trail of actions taken within your AWS environment.

Why other options are wrong

B. CloudHike

CloudHike is not an AWS service. It is not related to logging or monitoring AWS activity.

C. CloudWalk

CloudWalk is not an AWS service and is unrelated to logging or monitoring activities on AWS.

D. CloudTrack

CloudTrack is not an AWS service and does not provide the functionality of logging or monitoring account activity across AWS infrastructure. The correct service for this purpose is AWS CloudTrail.

Correct Answer

D. Use a bucket policy to grant permission to users in its account as well as to users in another account

Explanation

A bucket policy is the most effective way to grant cross-account access to an S3 bucket. It allows the bucket owner to specify access permissions for any AWS account, including users in other accounts, using the AWS account ID and IAM user details. Bucket policies are attached directly to the bucket and can specify access rules for multiple accounts or users, making them ideal for managing shared access scenarios. They are especially useful when granting access to external accounts that the bucket owner does not control directly.

Why other options are wrong

A. Use either a bucket policy or a user policy to grant permission to users in its account as well as to users in another account

This option is partially correct but misleading. While user policies can grant access to users within the same AWS account, they cannot be used to grant access to users in a different AWS account. Only a bucket policy or a resource-based policy can grant access to external accounts, making this option inaccurate for cross-account access.

B. Use a user policy to grant permission to users in its account as well as to users in another account

User policies are identity-based and scoped only within the account they belong to. They cannot be used to grant access to resources owned by another AWS account. To allow access from another account, a resource-based policy like a bucket policy is required. Hence, this option fails to address cross-account access.

C. Use permissions boundary to grant permission to users in its account as well as to users in another account

Permission boundaries are used to set the maximum permissions that an IAM user or role can have, but they do not grant permissions themselves. They also do not facilitate access to resources across AWS accounts. Therefore, this option is incorrect because it does not fulfill the requirement of granting cross-account access.