The correct actions are to back up the database to Amazon S3 and to set up HANA System Replication to a secondary instance in a different Availability Zone. Backups to S3 ensure data durability by storing immutable copies in a separate, highly durable storage service, while HANA System Replication to a secondary instance in another AZ provides recoverability by maintaining a synchronous or asynchronous copy of the live database that can be failed over during a disaster. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between backup strategies for durability and replication for high availability, with a common trap being to confuse EBS snapshots (which are region-bound) with cross-region or cross-AZ replication. Remember the mnemonic: “S3 for safe keeping, HSR for hot standby” — durability is about the backup copy, recoverability is about the live copy.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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 runs its SAP HANA database on a single EC2 instance with EBS storage. The database is critical and the company needs to ensure data durability and recoverability in case of a disaster. Which TWO actions should the company take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure automated backups of the HANA database to Amazon S3.
Option A is correct because backups to S3 provide durable storage. Option C is correct because HANA System Replication to a secondary instance in another AZ provides high availability. Option B is wrong because EBS snapshots are stored in the same region and not sufficient for disaster recovery. Option D is wrong because Multi-AZ for RDS is for RDS, not EC2. Option E is wrong because Cross-Region Replication is for S3, not for live database replication.
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.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ deployment for the HANA database on RDS.
Why it's wrong here
HANA is not on RDS; it's on EC2.
✗
Take periodic EBS snapshots and copy them to another region.
Why it's wrong here
EBS snapshots are not a real-time replication solution.
✓
Configure automated backups of the HANA database to Amazon S3.
Why this is correct
S3 provides durable off-site backup.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Cross-Region Replication for the EBS volumes.
Why it's wrong here
EBS volumes cannot be cross-region replicated directly.
✓
Set up HANA System Replication to a secondary instance in a different Availability Zone.
Why this is correct
Replication provides HA and DR across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
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: Configure automated backups of the HANA database to Amazon S3. — Option A is correct because backups to S3 provide durable storage. Option C is correct because HANA System Replication to a secondary instance in another AZ provides high availability. Option B is wrong because EBS snapshots are stored in the same region and not sufficient for disaster recovery. Option D is wrong because Multi-AZ for RDS is for RDS, not EC2. Option E is wrong because Cross-Region Replication is for S3, not for live database replication.
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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