The correct answer is to add more SAP BusinessObjects application servers and switch to EBS io2 Block Express volumes. Adding servers distributes the report generation workload across multiple nodes, directly reducing processing bottlenecks and improving overall throughput, while io2 Block Express provides higher IOPS and lower latency compared to gp2 volumes, which is critical for the heavy database and file system reads typical in SAP BusinessObjects report generation. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of both horizontal scaling and storage performance optimization for SAP workloads, often appearing as a trap where candidates focus only on compute or only on storage. A common mistake is overlooking that I/O-bound processes like report generation require simultaneous improvements in both compute distribution and storage speed. Memory tip: think “more servers for spread, io2 for speed” to remember that workload distribution and high-performance storage work together to reduce generation time.
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.
An organization runs SAP BusinessObjects on AWS and wants to improve the performance of report generation. The current environment uses EBS gp2 volumes. Which TWO changes could potentially reduce report generation time?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Switch to EBS io2 Block Express volumes with higher IOPS.
Option D is correct because switching to EBS io2 Block Express volumes provides higher IOPS and lower latency compared to gp2 volumes, which directly improves the I/O performance for SAP BusinessObjects report generation that often involves heavy database and file system reads. Option E is correct because adding more SAP BusinessObjects application servers distributes the report generation workload across multiple nodes, reducing the processing bottleneck on a single server and decreasing overall generation time.
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.
✗
Increase the size of the EBS root volume.
Why it's wrong here
Root volume size does not directly impact report generation performance.
✗
Enable EBS optimization on the instance.
Why it's wrong here
EBS optimization is typically enabled by default on modern instances.
✗
Configure automated snapshots of the EBS volumes.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots do not improve performance.
✓
Switch to EBS io2 Block Express volumes with higher IOPS.
Why this is correct
Higher IOPS improves data access speed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Add more SAP BusinessObjects application servers to distribute the workload.
Why this is correct
More servers can handle concurrent reports.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse EBS optimization (a prerequisite for dedicated bandwidth) with a performance-tuning feature, or assume that increasing volume size (Option A) is a valid performance improvement method, when in fact switching to a higher-performance volume type like io2 Block Express is the correct storage-level optimization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
EBS io2 Block Express volumes support up to 256,000 IOPS and 4,000 MB/s throughput per volume, with sub-millisecond latency, making them ideal for SAP BusinessObjects workloads that require consistent high I/O for report generation. In contrast, gp2 volumes have a burst-bucket model where performance degrades after the initial burst credits are exhausted, which can cause unpredictable slowdowns during peak reporting periods. Adding application servers scales horizontally by distributing the report processing load, but it requires careful load balancing and may increase database contention if the underlying database layer is not also scaled.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Switch to EBS io2 Block Express volumes with higher IOPS. — Option D is correct because switching to EBS io2 Block Express volumes provides higher IOPS and lower latency compared to gp2 volumes, which directly improves the I/O performance for SAP BusinessObjects report generation that often involves heavy database and file system reads. Option E is correct because adding more SAP BusinessObjects application servers distributes the report generation workload across multiple nodes, reducing the processing bottleneck on a single server and decreasing overall generation time.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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