The correct action is to move the application and database servers to the same Availability Zone. This directly reduces latency between EC2 instances in different AZs by eliminating the physical distance and network hops required for cross-AZ traffic, which typically adds 1-2 milliseconds of latency due to the transit through Availability Zone gateways. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how network architecture impacts SAP performance, often appearing as a distractor where candidates might incorrectly choose larger instances or placement groups. A common trap is assuming that compute power alone fixes latency, but for SAP workloads, proximity within a single AZ is the most immediate and cost-effective solution. Remember the memory tip: "Same AZ, same delay—cross AZ, cross your fingers."
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 on AWS is experiencing high latency between the application server and the database server. Both servers are in the same VPC but in different Availability Zones. Which action should the administrator take to reduce latency?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Move the application and database servers to the same Availability Zone
Option A is correct because placing both instances in the same AZ reduces network hops. Option B is wrong because increasing instance size does not directly reduce latency. Option C is wrong because using a VPN adds complexity and may not reduce latency. Option D is wrong while using a placement group may help, placing in same AZ is more direct.
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.
✗
Create a placement group and launch both instances in it
Why it's wrong here
Placement group may help but same AZ is more effective.
✓
Move the application and database servers to the same Availability Zone
Why this is correct
Reduces network latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Upgrade the instance types to compute-optimized instances
Why it's wrong here
Does not directly reduce network latency.
✗
Use AWS Direct Connect to connect the servers
Why it's wrong here
Direct Connect is for on-premises to AWS, not within AWS.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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: Move the application and database servers to the same Availability Zone — Option A is correct because placing both instances in the same AZ reduces network hops. Option B is wrong because increasing instance size does not directly reduce latency. Option C is wrong because using a VPN adds complexity and may not reduce latency. Option D is wrong while using a placement group may help, placing in same AZ is more direct.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 system on AWS is experiencing high latency between the application and database tiers. Both tiers are in the same VPC but in different Availability Zones. What is the most effective way to reduce latency?
hard
✓ A.Move both tiers into the same Availability Zone.
B.Add an Application Load Balancer between tiers.
C.Increase the bandwidth of the EC2 instances.
D.Enable AWS Direct Connect.
Why A: Option C is correct because placing both tiers in the same AZ eliminates cross-AZ data transfer latency. Option A (increasing bandwidth) does not reduce latency. Option B (adding a load balancer) adds overhead. Option D (using Direct Connect) is for on-premises connectivity, not within AWS.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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