Discover why AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is always free for users. Essential for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam, learn how IAM enables secure access management without additional costs.
Table of Contents
Question
Which AWS service is always free for users?
A. Amazon S3
B. Amazon Aurora
C. Amazon EC2
D. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Answer
D. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Explanation
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a service that enables users to manage access to AWS services and resources. IAM is always free for users.
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a core service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that allows users to securely manage access to AWS resources. Unlike other AWS services that may incur charges based on usage, IAM is always free of charge. This makes it an essential tool for managing permissions and ensuring the security of your cloud environment.
Key Features of IAM
User and Group Management
- Create and manage users, groups, and roles to control access to AWS resources.
- Assign permissions using policies to define who can do what within your account.
Secure Access Control
- Configure multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security.
- Apply fine-grained permissions to ensure least-privilege access.
Policy-Based Management
- Use JSON-based policies to define access rules.
- Apply conditions like IP restrictions or time-based access.
Free Usage
- IAM itself does not incur costs; however, charges may apply when IAM users or roles interact with other AWS services that are not free.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
A. Amazon S3: Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) provides scalable object storage but is not free. It incurs charges based on storage usage, data transfer, and requests.
B. Amazon Aurora: Amazon Aurora is a high-performance relational database service that incurs costs based on the database instance type, storage, and I/O operations.
C. Amazon EC2: Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) offers virtual servers for compute capacity but is only free under specific conditions (e.g., 750 hours/month for a t2.micro or t3.micro instance during the first 12 months under the Free Tier).
Why IAM is Always Free
IAM is a foundational service designed to enhance security across all AWS accounts. It ensures that organizations can manage access without worrying about additional costs, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes. This aligns with AWS’s commitment to providing secure cloud environments as part of its core offerings.
Examples of Free IAM Usage
- Creating users, groups, roles, and policies.
- Configuring MFA for account security.
- Managing permissions across multiple AWS services.
Relevance to the CLF-C02 Exam
Understanding which services are “always free” is crucial for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. Questions like this test your knowledge of AWS’s pricing models and service categories, which are key topics in the exam syllabus.
By mastering these concepts, you’ll be better prepared to answer similar questions and demonstrate your foundational understanding of AWS services.
Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam and earn Amazon AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 certification.