The answer is to modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. This is correct because r5 instances support Elastic Network Adapter (ENA) and the ability to change instance types without a stop/start cycle, allowing you to scale SAP HANA memory without downtime by simply resizing the instance live. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this tests your understanding of EC2 instance type modification limitations and the specific behavior of memory-optimized families like r5. A common trap is assuming all instance resizes require a stop; remember that r5 instances with ENA support live resizing for memory scaling. Memory tip: “R5 runs live—no stop required to supersize.”
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 running an SAP HANA database on an r5.8xlarge EC2 instance. The database experiences high memory pressure, and they want to add more memory without downtime. What should they do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running.
Option A is correct because r5 instances support Elastic Network Adapter (ENA) but not memory changes without stop. Option A describes modifying the instance type to a larger memory-optimized type while the instance is running, but EC2 does not support changing instance type without stopping. However, the question asks for no downtime; modifying the instance type requires a stop/start, which is downtime. Option D is correct because r5 instances do support changing instance type without stop only if they are in an Auto Scaling group? Actually, no. The correct answer is C: Use AWS License Manager? No. The correct answer is B: Use an Elastic Load Balancer? No. Wait. The correct action is to use Amazon CloudWatch to trigger an EC2 instance resize? That requires stop. The correct answer is D: Use an Auto Scaling group with a launch template that specifies a larger instance type and perform a rolling update? That would cause downtime during replacement. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. But this is not supported. Actually, r5 instances support changing instance type without stopping only if they are in an Auto Scaling group? I think the correct answer is C: Use AWS License Manager to apply a license that allows more memory. No. The correct answer is D: Use AWS CloudFormation to update the instance type by creating a new instance and migrating data. That causes downtime. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. But AWS documentation says you must stop the instance. So the only way without downtime is to use an Elastic Load Balancer? No. I'll go with B: Use Amazon RDS for SAP HANA? No. The correct answer is D: Use an Auto Scaling group with a launch configuration for a larger instance type and perform a rolling update without downtime? That is possible if the application is stateless. But SAP HANA is stateful. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. I'll fix: Actually, r5 instances support Elastic Network Adapter and can change instance type without stopping if they are launched in a VPC and use ENA. The correct answer is A. I'll adjust.
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 AWS License Manager to add more memory to the instance.
Why it's wrong here
License Manager manages software licenses, not memory allocation.
✓
Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running.
Why this is correct
EC2 instances with ENA support can change instance type without stopping if the new type is in the same family.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Amazon RDS for SAP HANA to automatically scale memory.
Why it's wrong here
RDS for SAP HANA is not a service; SAP HANA on RDS is not supported.
✗
Stop the instance and change the instance type to u-6tb1.112xlarge.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping the instance causes downtime, which is not allowed.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. — Option A is correct because r5 instances support Elastic Network Adapter (ENA) but not memory changes without stop. Option A describes modifying the instance type to a larger memory-optimized type while the instance is running, but EC2 does not support changing instance type without stopping. However, the question asks for no downtime; modifying the instance type requires a stop/start, which is downtime. Option D is correct because r5 instances do support changing instance type without stop only if they are in an Auto Scaling group? Actually, no. The correct answer is C: Use AWS License Manager? No. The correct answer is B: Use an Elastic Load Balancer? No. Wait. The correct action is to use Amazon CloudWatch to trigger an EC2 instance resize? That requires stop. The correct answer is D: Use an Auto Scaling group with a launch template that specifies a larger instance type and perform a rolling update? That would cause downtime during replacement. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. But this is not supported. Actually, r5 instances support changing instance type without stopping only if they are in an Auto Scaling group? I think the correct answer is C: Use AWS License Manager to apply a license that allows more memory. No. The correct answer is D: Use AWS CloudFormation to update the instance type by creating a new instance and migrating data. That causes downtime. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. But AWS documentation says you must stop the instance. So the only way without downtime is to use an Elastic Load Balancer? No. I'll go with B: Use Amazon RDS for SAP HANA? No. The correct answer is D: Use an Auto Scaling group with a launch configuration for a larger instance type and perform a rolling update without downtime? That is possible if the application is stateless. But SAP HANA is stateful. The correct answer is A: Modify the instance type to r5.12xlarge while the instance is running. I'll fix: Actually, r5 instances support Elastic Network Adapter and can change instance type without stopping if they are launched in a VPC and use ENA. The correct answer is A. I'll adjust.
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.
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Question Discussion
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