The answer is to increase the size of the EBS root volume to 100 GB. This directly resolves the “EBS root volume full” error for batch processing jobs by providing ample temporary file storage without requiring any application code changes, as the application already writes to the root volume. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of storage scaling versus application refactoring—a common trap is to overcomplicate the fix with instance store or additional volumes, but the simplest, least-invasive solution is often the best. Remember the key principle: when a batch job fails due to disk space and you can scale the existing volume, do that first before touching the application logic. Memory tip: “Scale the root, don’t reroute the compute.”
SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of continuous improvement for existing solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company runs a batch processing application on a scheduled EC2 instance that starts every night. The instance processes a large number of files from an S3 bucket and writes results to another S3 bucket. The job takes approximately 6 hours to complete. Recently, the job has been failing after 4 hours with an error indicating that the instance's EBS root volume is full. The instance type is t3.medium with a 20 GB gp2 root volume. The application writes temporary files to the root volume. The company wants to fix this with minimal changes to the application and infrastructure. What should a solutions architect recommend?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the size of the EBS root volume to 100 GB.
Option B is correct because increasing the root volume size provides more space for temporary files without application changes. Option A is wrong because instance store is ephemeral and may not be available on t3 instances. Option C is wrong because mounting an EBS volume would require application changes to write to a different path. Option D is wrong because reducing file size may not be feasible and requires code changes.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Create an additional EBS volume and mount it to the instance.
Why it's wrong here
This requires application changes to use the new mount point.
✗
Change the instance type to one with instance store volumes.
Why it's wrong here
t3 instances do not support instance store; also ephemeral storage is not persistent.
✓
Increase the size of the EBS root volume to 100 GB.
Why this is correct
More space on root volume resolves the issue without code changes.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Modify the application to compress temporary files.
Why it's wrong here
Compression reduces size but may not be sufficient; also requires code changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — This question tests Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the size of the EBS root volume to 100 GB. — Option B is correct because increasing the root volume size provides more space for temporary files without application changes. Option A is wrong because instance store is ephemeral and may not be available on t3 instances. Option C is wrong because mounting an EBS volume would require application changes to write to a different path. Option D is wrong because reducing file size may not be feasible and requires code changes.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Question Discussion
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