AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Practice Exam

What would be an appropriate initial step for managing S3 storage costs?

1. Decrease the number of S3 buckets

2. Audit existing S3 usage and storage patterns

3. Switch to a different storage class

4. Set alerts for S3 access

The correct answer is: Audit existing S3 usage and storage patterns

Auditing existing S3 usage and storage patterns is a crucial first step in managing S3 storage costs effectively. This process allows administrators to gain insight into how S3 is being utilized. By examining factors such as the types of storage being used (Standard, Intelligent-Tiering, Standard-IA, Glacier, etc.), object sizes, access frequency, and retention periods, you can identify opportunities for optimization. Understanding the usage patterns enables better decision-making regarding data lifecycle management, which may include transitioning infrequently accessed data to lower-cost storage classes or defining lifecycle policies that automatically delete or archive old data. This step ensures that any subsequent strategies, whether switching storage classes, reducing the number of buckets, or setting up alerts, are based on concrete data rather than assumptions, leading to more effective cost management.