Quick Answer
The answer is Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) for SAP HANA backup storage. This is the most cost-effective choice because S3 Standard-IA is designed for data accessed less frequently but requires rapid retrieval when needed, making it ideal for daily HANA backups retained for only 30 days—where the lower storage cost offsets the retrieval fee. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match storage tiers to backup lifecycle requirements, often appearing as a trap where candidates choose S3 Standard (higher cost for infrequent access) or Amazon S3 Glacier (designed for archival beyond 90 days, not 30-day retention). A common memory tip is to think of “IA” as “Infrequent Access” for backups you hope to rarely restore, and remember that Glacier is for long-term cold storage, not short-term compliance. For quick recall: “30 days? Standard-IA pays.”
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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.
An SAP administrator needs to back up the SAP HANA database daily. The backups must be stored securely and retained for 30 days. Which storage option is the most cost-effective?
Amazon S3 Standard
Why wrong: S3 Standard is for frequent access; higher cost for backups.
Amazon S3 Glacier
Why wrong: Glacier has retrieval times in minutes or hours; not ideal for 30-day retention.
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA)
S3 Standard-IA is cost-effective for infrequent access with immediate retrieval.
Amazon EBS Snapshots
Why wrong: EBS snapshots are for block storage, not directly for database backup files.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA)
Option C is correct. S3 Standard-IA is for infrequently accessed data with lower cost. Option A is incorrect because S3 Standard is more expensive. Option B is incorrect because Glacier is for long-term archival, not 30-day retention. Option D is incorrect because EBS snapshots are for volumes, not database backups directly.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Amazon S3 Standard
Why it's wrong here
S3 Standard is for frequent access; higher cost for backups.
Amazon S3 Glacier
Why it's wrong here
Glacier has retrieval times in minutes or hours; not ideal for 30-day retention.
Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA)
Why this is correct
S3 Standard-IA is cost-effective for infrequent access with immediate retrieval.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon EBS Snapshots
Why it's wrong here
EBS snapshots are for block storage, not directly for database backup files.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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.
Operations and Maintenance — study guide chapter
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Operations and Maintenance practice questions
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FAQ
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) — Option C is correct. S3 Standard-IA is for infrequently accessed data with lower cost. Option A is incorrect because S3 Standard is more expensive. Option B is incorrect because Glacier is for long-term archival, not 30-day retention. Option D is incorrect because EBS snapshots are for volumes, not database backups directly.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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