PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
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.
Network Topology
An SAP HANA database is running on an EC2 instance with an attached gp2 volume of 500 GiB. The exhibit shows the volume attributes. The database performance is degrading during peak hours. What is the most likely cause?
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
✓
The volume's burst balance has been depleted due to sustained high I/O.
Option B is correct because gp2 volumes have a baseline IOPS of 3 IOPS/GiB, so 500 GiB provides 1500 baseline IOPS. If the workload exceeds this, the volume uses burst credits. Once credits are exhausted, performance degrades. Option A is wrong because the volume is gp2, not gp3. Option C is wrong because 1500 IOPS is the baseline, not the maximum. Option D is wrong because burst balance is not shown in this output.
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.
✗
The volume is sized too small; it needs to be at least 1 TB to provide sufficient IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
500 GiB provides 1500 baseline IOPS, which may be sufficient for many workloads.
✗
The volume is not EBS-optimized.
Why it's wrong here
EBS optimization is an instance feature, not a volume attribute.
✓
The volume's burst balance has been depleted due to sustained high I/O.
Why this is correct
gp2 volumes have burst credits; when exhausted, IOPS drop to baseline.
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.
✗
The volume type is gp2 and should be changed to gp3 for better performance.
Why it's wrong here
gp3 may offer better performance, but the immediate cause of degradation is likely burst balance exhaustion.
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.
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The volume's burst balance has been depleted due to sustained high I/O. — Option B is correct because gp2 volumes have a baseline IOPS of 3 IOPS/GiB, so 500 GiB provides 1500 baseline IOPS. If the workload exceeds this, the volume uses burst credits. Once credits are exhausted, performance degrades. Option A is wrong because the volume is gp2, not gp3. Option C is wrong because 1500 IOPS is the baseline, not the maximum. Option D is wrong because burst balance is not shown in this output.
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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