- A
Apply patches directly to the running instances using AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager and reboot each instance one at a time.
Why wrong: This approach still causes downtime for each instance as it reboots.
- B
Stop the Auto Scaling group, patch the instances, and start the group again.
Why wrong: Stopping the Auto Scaling group stops all instances, causing full downtime.
- C
Use AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to patch all instances at the same time during a maintenance window.
Why wrong: Patching all instances simultaneously would cause all instances to reboot at the same time, resulting in downtime.
- D
Create a new Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the latest patches, update the launch configuration, and perform a rolling update of the Auto Scaling group.
This approach replaces instances with patched ones without downtime as the Auto Scaling group launches new instances before terminating old ones.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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 SAP on AWS and wants to implement a patching strategy for the operating system of EC2 instances with minimal downtime. The instances are part of an Auto Scaling group. Which of the following approaches is the MOST appropriate?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Create a new Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the latest patches, update the launch configuration, and perform a rolling update of the Auto Scaling group.
Option D is correct because using a rolling update with a new launch configuration ensures that instances are replaced with patched AMIs without downtime. Option A is wrong because applying patches directly to running instances requires reboots and causes downtime. Option B is wrong because stopping the Auto Scaling group would stop all instances. Option C is wrong because using Systems Manager Patch Manager on all instances simultaneously would cause downtime.
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.
- ✗
Apply patches directly to the running instances using AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager and reboot each instance one at a time.
Why it's wrong here
This approach still causes downtime for each instance as it reboots.
- ✗
Stop the Auto Scaling group, patch the instances, and start the group again.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping the Auto Scaling group stops all instances, causing full downtime.
- ✗
Use AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to patch all instances at the same time during a maintenance window.
Why it's wrong here
Patching all instances simultaneously would cause all instances to reboot at the same time, resulting in downtime.
- ✓
Create a new Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the latest patches, update the launch configuration, and perform a rolling update of the Auto Scaling group.
Why this is correct
This approach replaces instances with patched ones without downtime as the Auto Scaling group launches new instances before terminating old ones.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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 PAS-C01 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Operations and Maintenance — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Operations and Maintenance practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a new Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the latest patches, update the launch configuration, and perform a rolling update of the Auto Scaling group. — Option D is correct because using a rolling update with a new launch configuration ensures that instances are replaced with patched AMIs without downtime. Option A is wrong because applying patches directly to running instances requires reboots and causes downtime. Option B is wrong because stopping the Auto Scaling group would stop all instances. Option C is wrong because using Systems Manager Patch Manager on all instances simultaneously would cause downtime.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 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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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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