Learn how to use the /tmp directory to store and access temporary files in an AWS Lambda function. Find out the advantages and limitations of using the /tmp directory for serverless applications.
Table of Contents
Question
A developer is designing an AWS Lambda function that creates temporary files that are less than 10 MB during invocation. The temporary files will be accessed and modified multiple times during invocation. The developer has no need to save or retrieve these files in the future.
Where should the temporary files be stored?
A. the /tmp directory
B. Amazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS)
C. Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS)
D. Amazon S3
Answer
A. the /tmp directory
Explanation
The correct answer to the question is A. the /tmp directory.
The reason for this answer is that:
- Option A: The /tmp directory is a temporary file system that is available for each Lambda function. The /tmp directory provides 512 MB of non-persistent disk space that can be used to store and access temporary files during the function invocation. The /tmp directory is local to the function instance and is not shared across different instances or invocations. The /tmp directory is suitable for storing small files that are less than 10 MB and that do not need to be saved or retrieved in the future. The /tmp directory offers fast and convenient access to the temporary files, as they are stored in the same environment as the function code.
- Option B: Amazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS) is a fully managed service that provides scalable and elastic file storage for use with AWS Cloud services and on-premises resources. Amazon EFS supports the Network File System (NFS) protocol, which allows multiple EC2 instances or Lambda functions to access and share the same file system concurrently. Amazon EFS is suitable for storing large files that need to be persisted and shared across different applications or environments. However, Amazon EFS is not optimal for storing temporary files that are less than 10 MB and that do not need to be saved or retrieved in the future. Amazon EFS requires more configuration and management than the /tmp directory, such as creating a file system, mounting it to the Lambda function, and setting up security groups and IAM policies. Amazon EFS also incurs additional charges based on the amount of storage used and the throughput mode selected.
- Option C: Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) is a service that provides persistent block-level storage volumes for use with EC2 instances. Amazon EBS volumes are attached to EC2 instances and act as physical hard drives, allowing you to store data on them and access them from your EC2 instance. Amazon EBS volumes are suitable for storing data that requires high performance, durability, and availability, such as databases, logs, or backups. However, Amazon EBS volumes are not compatible with Lambda functions, as Lambda functions do not run on EC2 instances. Therefore, Amazon EBS volumes cannot be used to store temporary files for Lambda functions.
- Option D: Amazon S3 is a service that provides object storage for any amount of data. Amazon S3 allows you to store and retrieve objects from anywhere on the web using a simple web service interface. Amazon S3 objects are organized into buckets, which are containers for objects. Amazon S3 objects can have metadata, tags, access control lists, and encryption keys associated with them. Amazon S3 is suitable for storing data that requires scalability, durability, security, and accessibility, such as images, videos, documents, or archives. However, Amazon S3 is not ideal for storing temporary files that are less than 10 MB and that do not need to be saved or retrieved in the future. Amazon S3 requires more network latency and API calls than the /tmp directory, as the objects are stored in a remote location and need to be transferred over the network. Amazon S3 also incurs additional charges based on the amount of storage used, the number of requests made, and the data transfer costs.
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