The answer is Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes, as they are the most suitable AWS storage service for SAP HANA data volumes due to their ability to deliver consistent, sub-millisecond latency and up to 4,000 MB/s throughput per volume, which is critical for HANA’s in-memory database checkpoint and savepoint operations. In contrast, gp3 volumes, while offering baseline performance, lack the sustained IOPS and low-latency guarantees required for production HANA workloads, and both EFS and S3 are incorrect because they provide file and object storage respectively, not the block-level access HANA demands. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this distinction tests your understanding of SAP HANA’s strict storage requirements and the specific AWS service designed to meet them; a common trap is assuming gp3’s burstable performance is sufficient, but the exam emphasizes that io2 Block Express is the only EBS volume type validated for SAP HANA data volumes in production. Memory tip: think “io2 for in-memory” — the “2” in io2 stands for the second generation of provisioned IOPS, which directly supports HANA’s need for predictable, high-speed data persistence.
PAS-C01 Design of SAP Workloads on AWS Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. 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 its SAP ERP system to AWS and needs to choose a storage option for the SAP HANA database. Which AWS storage service is most suitable for SAP HANA data volumes?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes
Option B is correct because Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes are designed for high-performance, low-latency workloads like SAP HANA. Option A is wrong because EBS gp3 is general purpose and may not meet HANA performance requirements. Option C is wrong because EFS is file storage, not block storage. Option D is wrong because S3 is object storage.
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.
✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is object storage, not block storage, and cannot be used for database data volumes.
✓
Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes
Why this is correct
io2 Block Express volumes provide high throughput and low latency, suitable for SAP HANA.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Amazon EBS gp3 volumes
Why it's wrong here
gp3 volumes are general purpose and may not provide the consistent low latency required for SAP HANA.
✗
Amazon EFS
Why it's wrong here
EFS is a file system, not a block storage device, and not suitable for database data volumes.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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 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.
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.
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — This question tests Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes — Option B is correct because Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes are designed for high-performance, low-latency workloads like SAP HANA. Option A is wrong because EBS gp3 is general purpose and may not meet HANA performance requirements. Option C is wrong because EFS is file storage, not block storage. Option D is wrong because S3 is object storage.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Variation 1. A company is migrating SAP workloads to AWS and needs to choose storage for SAP HANA. Which two storage options are supported for SAP HANA data volumes? (Select TWO.)
easy
✓ A.Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes.
B.Amazon S3.
C.Amazon EFS.
D.Instance Store (NVMe SSD) volumes.
✓ E.Amazon EBS gp3 volumes.
Why A: Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes are supported for SAP HANA data volumes because they provide high durability (99.999% durability) and sub-millisecond latency with up to 256,000 IOPS per volume, meeting SAP's performance requirements for production HANA workloads. Amazon EBS gp3 volumes are also supported for SAP HANA data volumes, offering a baseline of 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s throughput with the ability to scale independently, making them suitable for non-production or smaller production environments.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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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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