Quick Answer
The correct answer is to increase the EBS volume size to raise the baseline IOPS. This works because gp2 volumes use a credit-based model where baseline IOPS are calculated at a rate of 3 IOPS per GB, so a 1000 GB volume provides 3000 baseline IOPS; to increase that baseline, you must expand the volume size, which directly raises the IOPS floor without needing to modify throughput or switch volume types. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of gp2 performance characteristics and the common trap of confusing IOPS with throughput or queue depth—here, a queue depth of 0 indicates the volume is not receiving enough IOPS, not that it is saturated. A key memory tip: for gp2, think “size equals IOPS” because every GB adds 3 IOPS, so when you need more IOPS, you grow the disk.
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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 system administrator is troubleshooting a performance issue on an SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) system running on AWS. The system uses an Oracle database on an EC2 instance with EBS volumes. Users report that some transactions are slow, especially during month-end closing. The administrator checks CloudWatch metrics and notices that the EBS volume read latency is high (average 20 ms) and the queue depth is consistently 0. The volume type is gp2 with 3000 IOPS. The administrator suspects the volume is not meeting the IOPS demand. What should the administrator do to resolve this issue?
Switch the volume type from gp2 to gp3
Why wrong: gp3 may help but the issue is low IOPS due to small volume size.
Increase the EBS volume size to increase the baseline IOPS
For gp2, IOPS scale with size; larger volume gives more IOPS.
Increase the volume throughput to 250 MB/s
Why wrong: Throughput is not the bottleneck; IOPS is.
Enable EBS optimization on the EC2 instance
Why wrong: EBS optimization is already enabled for most instances.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Increase the EBS volume size to increase the baseline IOPS
Option D is correct because increasing the volume size increases baseline IOPS for gp2. Option A is wrong as switching to gp3 may help but not directly address queue depth. Option B is wrong as throughput is not the issue. Option C is wrong as increasing IOPS without volume size increase is not possible for gp2.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Switch the volume type from gp2 to gp3
Why it's wrong here
gp3 may help but the issue is low IOPS due to small volume size.
Increase the EBS volume size to increase the baseline IOPS
Why this is correct
For gp2, IOPS scale with size; larger volume gives more IOPS.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Increase the volume throughput to 250 MB/s
Why it's wrong here
Throughput is not the bottleneck; IOPS is.
Enable EBS optimization on the EC2 instance
Why it's wrong here
EBS optimization is already enabled for most instances.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
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. ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement. 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
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PAS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Operations and Maintenance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: Increase the EBS volume size to increase the baseline IOPS — Option D is correct because increasing the volume size increases baseline IOPS for gp2. Option A is wrong as switching to gp3 may help but not directly address queue depth. Option B is wrong as throughput is not the issue. Option C is wrong as increasing IOPS without volume size increase is not possible for gp2.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PAS-C01 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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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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