Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
Amazon CloudWatch metrics for the instance volume: - VolumeType: gp2 - VolumeSize: 1 TiB - ReadOps: 9,000-11,000 sustained - WriteOps: 8,000-10,000 sustained - BurstBalance: 0% for long periods - VolumeQueueLength: elevated during peak use - VolumeReadLatency p95: 23 ms - VolumeWriteLatency p95: 19 ms Application note: - The working set is random and latency-sensitive - The storage requirement is persistent block storage attached to one instance
Based on the exhibit, a single EC2 instance hosts a latency-sensitive cache that performs sustained random reads and writes to persistent block storage. The current EBS volume is a general-purpose SSD, but BurstBalance is repeatedly depleted and p95 I/O latency has risen above 20 ms. The workload needs more than 16,000 sustained IOPS. Which change is the best fix?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Move the data to Amazon S3 so the instance can read and write objects directly.
Amazon S3 is object storage and does not provide a directly attached block device interface. It is not an appropriate replacement for a latency-sensitive cache that requires persistent block storage semantics and low-latency random I/O.
B
Best answer
Replace the volume with an io2 EBS volume and provision the required IOPS.
io2 is designed for mission-critical workloads that need sustained, predictable, low-latency random I/O. Unlike gp2, it does not depend on burst credits for performance. Provisioning the required IOPS directly addresses the exhausted BurstBalance and the sustained throughput requirement above 16,000 IOPS.
C
Distractor review
Keep gp2 and increase the instance size to a compute-optimized family.
The metrics point to a storage bottleneck, not a CPU bottleneck. A larger instance may increase compute capacity, but it does not remove the gp2 burst-credit limitation or guarantee the sustained IOPS level and latency profile that the workload requires.
D
Distractor review
Enable Amazon EFS with bursting throughput mode for the cache data.
Amazon EFS is a shared file system, not a direct attached block volume. Bursting throughput mode also does not provide the same low-latency, high-IOPS characteristics needed for a single-instance cache with sustained random block reads and writes.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replace the volume with an io2 EBS volume and provision the required IOPS. — The exhibit shows a gp2 volume that is repeatedly exhausting BurstBalance while the application still needs sustained random I/O with p95 latency above acceptable levels. That indicates the workload has outgrown a burst-based general-purpose volume. io2 is the correct replacement because it provides provisioned IOPS with more predictable performance for high-demand block storage workloads. Since the requirement is more than 16,000 sustained IOPS, moving to io2 directly aligns the storage type with the workload's performance profile. S3 cannot replace an attached EBS volume because it is object storage, not block storage. Increasing the EC2 instance size does not solve the EBS performance ceiling or the exhausted burst credits. EFS is a shared file system and is not the right service for a cache that depends on persistent, attached block storage with sustained low-latency random I/O.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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