The answer is to increase the IOPS of the EBS gp2 volume or switch to an io1 volume. When CPU utilization is low but application response times are high, the bottleneck is almost certainly disk I/O, meaning the EBS volume cannot keep up with the read/write demand, causing queuing and latency. This scenario directly tests your understanding of EBS performance tuning for SAP workloads on the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, where a common trap is to assume more CPU or a larger instance will solve latency issues. Instead, the key insight is that gp2 volumes burst IOPS based on volume size, and once the burst balance is depleted, throughput drops sharply. A simple memory tip: low CPU plus high latency equals “I/O starved,” so think “IOPS first, not instance size.”
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 Basis administrator is troubleshooting a performance issue on an SAP NetWeaver application server running on Amazon EC2. The administrator notices that the CPU utilization is low but the application response times are high. The system is using an Amazon EBS gp2 volume. Which configuration change is most likely to improve performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Increase the IOPS of the EBS gp2 volume or switch to io1.
Option D is correct: If CPU is low but response times high, the bottleneck is likely disk I/O. Increasing the IOPS of the gp2 volume (by increasing volume size or switching to io1/io2) improves throughput. Option A is wrong: More vCPUs won't help if CPU is not saturated. Option B is wrong: Larger instance might not fix disk I/O. Option C is wrong: Instance store is ephemeral and not suitable for persistent data.
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 IOPS of the EBS gp2 volume or switch to io1.
Why this is correct
Higher IOPS improves disk throughput, reducing I/O wait.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the EBS volume to instance store.
Why it's wrong here
Instance store is ephemeral and not for persistent data.
✗
Move the EC2 instance to a larger instance family.
Why it's wrong here
Instance size increase may not address disk I/O bottleneck.
✗
Increase the number of vCPUs on the EC2 instance.
Why it's wrong here
CPU is underutilized; more vCPUs won't help.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. 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.
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: Increase the IOPS of the EBS gp2 volume or switch to io1. — Option D is correct: If CPU is low but response times high, the bottleneck is likely disk I/O. Increasing the IOPS of the gp2 volume (by increasing volume size or switching to io1/io2) improves throughput. Option A is wrong: More vCPUs won't help if CPU is not saturated. Option B is wrong: Larger instance might not fix disk I/O. Option C is wrong: Instance store is ephemeral and not suitable for persistent data.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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