AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certification Practice Exam

What is the role of edge locations in AWS?

1. Host applications

2. Provide database management

3. Cache content close to the end user

4. Serve as data storage centers

The correct answer is: Cache content close to the end user

Edge locations play a critical role in the AWS ecosystem by caching content close to the end user, which is essential for improving the performance and reducing latency of web applications. These locations are part of Amazon CloudFront, AWS's content delivery network (CDN). When users request content, such as images, videos, or other static files, edge locations serve this content to them from the nearest point, ensuring faster load times and enhanced user experience. By caching frequently accessed data at edge locations, AWS alleviates the burden on the origin servers, allowing them to handle requests more efficiently and manage traffic spikes. This system not only accelerates content delivery but also minimizes the distance that data needs to travel, which is especially beneficial for users located far from the original server location. The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of edge locations. While applications might be hosted on other AWS infrastructure components, edge locations are specifically designed for content delivery and caching. They do not provide database management services, which typically occur in services such as Amazon RDS or DynamoDB, nor do they serve directly as data storage centers, roles that are better suited to AWS's S3 or EBS services. Thus, the focus of edge locations on caching content close to the end