PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
An SAP HANA database is running on an EC2 instance with 16 EBS volumes in a striped RAID 0 configuration. The system administrator notices that one of the volumes is degraded in the RAID array. How can the administrator recover the array with minimal downtime?
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
✓
Detach the degraded volume, create a new volume of the same size and type, attach it to the instance, and add it to the RAID array.
It outlines the proper procedure to replace a degraded volume in a RAID 0 array with minimal downtime: detach the faulty volume, create a new EBS volume of the same size and type, attach it to the instance, and add it to the RAID array. This approach avoids disrupting the remaining volumes and allows the array to be rebuilt quickly. Option B is incomplete because simply attaching a new volume with the same device name does not automatically incorporate it into the RAID array. Option C is not optimal as creating a snapshot and restoring it introduces unnecessary steps and longer downtime. Option D is ineffective because filesystem repair cannot fix a physical volume failure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Detach the degraded volume, create a new volume of the same size and type, attach it to the instance, and add it to the RAID array.
Why this is correct
This is the correct procedure. It allows minimal downtime as the array can be rebuilt after adding the new volume.
- ✗
Detach the degraded volume and attach a new volume with the same device name.
Why it's wrong here
This is incomplete because simply attaching a new volume does not automatically incorporate it into the RAID array; the administrator must also add it to the array and rebuild it.
- ✗
Take a snapshot of the degraded volume and restore it to a new volume.
Why it's wrong here
This is not optimal because the snapshot of a degraded volume may contain errors, and the process introduces unnecessary steps and longer downtime.
- ✗
Run a filesystem repair on the degraded volume while it is still attached.
Why it's wrong here
This is ineffective because filesystem repair cannot fix a physical volume failure; the volume must be replaced.
Quick reference
RAID Level Comparison
| RAID Level | Min Disks | Fault Tolerance | Read | Write | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2 | None | Excellent | Excellent | 100% |
| RAID 1 | 2 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 50% |
| RAID 5 | 3 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 67–94% |
| RAID 6 | 4 | 2 disks | Good | Lower | 50–88% |
| RAID 10 | 4 | 1 disk per mirror | Excellent | Good | 50% |
RAID is not a backup strategy — it protects against disk failure but not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or site-level events.
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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.