EBS DeleteOnTermination: SAP HANA Data Persistence
Network Topology
An SAP administrator runs the AWS CLI command shown in the exhibit for an EC2 instance used as an SAP HANA database server. The server has two EBS volumes attached: a root volume (/dev/xvda) and a data volume (/dev/sdf). Based on the output, what will happen when the instance is terminated?
Quick Answer
The behavior described here comes down to a single per-volume setting, DeleteOnTermination, which AWS evaluates independently for each EBS volume attached to an instance rather than applying one rule to the whole instance. By default, the root volume of an EC2 instance has DeleteOnTermination set to true, meaning it's treated as disposable along with the instance itself - this makes sense because the root volume typically just holds the operating system, which can be recreated from the AMI. Data volumes attached separately, like the one here at /dev/sdf holding SAP HANA database files, don't inherit that default; when the CLI output shows DeleteOnTermination set to false for that volume, AWS will detach and preserve it as an unattached volume in the same Availability Zone rather than deleting it when the instance terminates. This distinction matters enormously in an SAP HANA context because the data volume contains the actual database, and accidentally leaving it set to delete-on-termination could mean permanent data loss the moment someone terminates the wrong instance. The general skill being tested is reading a describe-instances (or similar) output and checking the DeleteOnTermination flag per block device mapping entry, rather than assuming uniform behavior across all volumes on an instance. Any time a question shows CLI output with multiple attached volumes and asks what happens on termination, check each volume's flag individually.
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume all volumes attached to an instance share the same termination behavior, but AWS allows independent `DeleteOnTermination` settings per volume, and the default for non-root volumes is `true` only if launched via certain AMIs or block device mappings.
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
✓
The root volume will be deleted, and the data volume will persist.
The AWS CLI command `describe-instances` output shows that the root volume (`/dev/xvda`) has `DeleteOnTermination` set to `true` (default), while the data volume (`/dev/sdf`) has `DeleteOnTermination` set to `false`. When the EC2 instance is terminated, only volumes with `DeleteOnTermination=true` are automatically deleted. Therefore, the root volume will be deleted, and the data volume will persist as an unattached EBS volume in the same Availability Zone.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The instance cannot be terminated because DeleteOnTermination is set inconsistently.
Why it's wrong here
There is no such restriction.
- ✗
Both volumes will be deleted.
Why it's wrong here
The data volume's DeleteOnTermination is false, so it is not deleted.
- ✓
The root volume will be deleted, and the data volume will persist.
Why this is correct
The root volume is deleted, the data volume persists.
- ✗
Both volumes will persist.
Why it's wrong here
The root volume's DeleteOnTermination is true, so it is deleted.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PAS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An SAP administrator runs the AWS CLI command shown in the exhibit for an EC2 instance running SAP HANA. The administrator notices that the /dev/sdf volume does not have DeleteOnTermination set to true. What is the impact of this configuration?
medium- A.The volume will be detached but not deleted.
- B.The volume will be automatically deleted when the instance is terminated.
- C.The volume cannot be attached to another instance.
- ✓ D.The volume will persist after instance termination, preserving data.
Why D: When the DeleteOnTermination attribute of an EBS volume is set to false (as indicated by the absence of 'true' in the AWS CLI output for /dev/sdf), the volume will not be automatically deleted when the EC2 instance is terminated. Instead, the volume enters a 'available' state and persists independently, preserving all data for later use or reattachment. This is critical for SAP HANA workloads where data volumes must survive instance termination for disaster recovery or migration scenarios.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.