Quick Answer
The answer is io2 Block Express. This EBS volume type is the most suitable for SAP HANA data volumes because it delivers the highest IOPS and lowest latency, which are critical for the in-memory database’s real-time processing demands. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of EBS performance characteristics in the context of SAP HANA—specifically that HANA workloads are IOPS-bound, not throughput-bound. A common trap is choosing gp3 for its lower cost, but gp3’s maximum IOPS per volume is significantly lower than io2 Block Express, making it insufficient for large HANA deployments. Another trap is confusing st1 (throughput-optimized) or sc1 (cold HDD) with HANA’s need for consistent, low-latency IOPS. Memory tip: think “io2 = I/O intensive” and “Block Express = express lane for HANA’s high IOPS demands.”
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of migration. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 an on-premises SAP HANA database to AWS. The current HANA system uses 2 TB of storage and requires high IOPS. The company wants to use Amazon EBS for storage. Which EBS volume type is most suitable for the HANA data volume?
sc1
Why wrong: sc1 is cold HDD, too slow for HANA.
st1
Why wrong: st1 is throughput-optimized, not suitable for HANA.
gp3
Why wrong: gp3 has lower maximum IOPS than io2.
io2 Block Express
io2 Block Express offers up to 256,000 IOPS and low latency, meeting HANA requirements.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
io2 Block Express
Option D is correct because SAP HANA requires high IOPS and low latency, and io2 Block Express provides the highest performance. Option A is wrong because gp3 has lower IOPS limits. Option B is wrong because st1 is throughput-optimized, not IOPS. Option C is wrong because sc1 is cold HDD, unsuitable for HANA.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
sc1
Why it's wrong here
sc1 is cold HDD, too slow for HANA.
st1
Why it's wrong here
st1 is throughput-optimized, not suitable for HANA.
gp3
Why it's wrong here
gp3 has lower maximum IOPS than io2.
io2 Block Express
Why this is correct
io2 Block Express offers up to 256,000 IOPS and low latency, meeting HANA requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: io2 Block Express — Option D is correct because SAP HANA requires high IOPS and low latency, and io2 Block Express provides the highest performance. Option A is wrong because gp3 has lower IOPS limits. Option B is wrong because st1 is throughput-optimized, not IOPS. Option C is wrong because sc1 is cold HDD, unsuitable for HANA.
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This PAS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PAS-C01 exam.
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