The answer is to configure a Network Load Balancer with Elastic IP addresses per Availability Zone, an Auto Scaling group across two Availability Zones, and register the NLB as the application endpoint. This works because the NLB’s static IP capability, achieved by attaching Elastic IPs to each zone’s subnet, provides a fixed entry point that remains unchanged when backend instances stop or start, directly meeting the static IP requirement. Combined with an Auto Scaling group spanning two Availability Zones, the NLB ensures high availability by routing traffic only to healthy instances in both zones. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of legacy application constraints—specifically that an Application Load Balancer cannot offer static IPs, making NLB the only correct choice. A common trap is selecting an ALB or using Elastic IPs on instances themselves, which break during stop/start. Memory tip: NLB + EIP = static entry; ASG across AZs = high availability.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application requires a static IP address that does not change during instance stop/start. The application also needs to be highly available across two Availability Zones. Which THREE actions should the company take to meet these requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a Network Load Balancer with an Elastic IP address
A Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports static IP addresses by allowing you to associate an Elastic IP address with each of its Availability Zone subnets. This provides a fixed entry point that does not change when backend instances are stopped or started, meeting the requirement for a static IP. Combined with an Auto Scaling group spanning two Availability Zones, the NLB ensures high availability by distributing traffic across healthy instances in both zones.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Use a Network Load Balancer with an Elastic IP address
Why this is correct
NLB supports static IP via EIP and is highly available across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Allocate an Elastic IP address and associate it with the primary instance
Why this is correct
EIP provides a static public IP that can be remapped.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Place the instances in a placement group to ensure high availability
Why it's wrong here
Placement groups are for low latency, not high availability across AZs.
✓
Configure an Auto Scaling group across two Availability Zones
Why this is correct
Auto Scaling across AZs provides high availability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use an Application Load Balancer to distribute traffic to the instances
Why it's wrong here
ALB does not provide a static IP; it uses a DNS name.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the static IP capability of a Network Load Balancer with the DNS-based routing of an Application Load Balancer, or mistakenly think that a single Elastic IP on an instance provides high availability across zones.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When you associate an Elastic IP with an NLB, the NLB uses that IP as the frontend IP for the corresponding Availability Zone subnet, and the IP remains static even if the underlying instances are replaced. The NLB operates at Layer 4 (TCP/UDP) and preserves the client IP address, which is critical for legacy applications that require direct client IP visibility. Auto Scaling groups ensure that instances are launched in both Availability Zones, and the NLB health checks automatically route traffic away from unhealthy instances, maintaining availability without manual intervention.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a Network Load Balancer with an Elastic IP address — A Network Load Balancer (NLB) supports static IP addresses by allowing you to associate an Elastic IP address with each of its Availability Zone subnets. This provides a fixed entry point that does not change when backend instances are stopped or started, meeting the requirement for a static IP. Combined with an Auto Scaling group spanning two Availability Zones, the NLB ensures high availability by distributing traffic across healthy instances in both zones.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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