The answer is that the EFS file system is mounted using NFS version 3, which has limited locking support. NFSv3 relies on separate, often unreliable lock manager protocols like rpc.lockd, whereas NFSv4.1 integrates locking directly into the protocol, providing the robust file locking required for SAP transport operations. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how shared storage services like Amazon EFS interact with SAP’s transport mechanism, which depends on exclusive file locks to prevent corruption during transport imports. A common trap is to blame security groups or throughput settings, but the root cause is almost always the NFS version—EFS supports NFSv4.1, and using it resolves locking failures. Memory tip: remember “4.1 for locks” to avoid the NFSv3 locking trap.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
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 on AWS uses a shared file system for the SAP transport directory. The file system is hosted on an Amazon EFS file system. Recently, the operations team noticed that SAP transports are failing with errors indicating file locking issues. The EFS file system is mounted using the NFS client with default options. What is the most likely cause of the file locking issues?
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 EFS file system is mounted using NFS version 3, which has limited locking support.
Option B is correct because EFS does not support NFS v3 file locking properly; NFS v4.1 is recommended for locking. Option A is wrong because EFS access points do not affect locking. Option C is wrong because security group would not cause locking failures. Option D is wrong because throughput is unrelated to locking.
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 EFS file system has insufficient throughput for the number of concurrent mounts.
Why it's wrong here
Throughput does not cause locking issues.
✗
The security group for the EFS mount targets does not allow inbound traffic on port 2049.
Why it's wrong here
If blocked, mount would fail entirely.
✗
The EFS file system is using access points that restrict permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Access points control access, not locking.
✓
The EFS file system is mounted using NFS version 3, which has limited locking support.
Why this is correct
NFS v3 locking is not reliable; use NFS v4.1.
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.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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 EFS file system is mounted using NFS version 3, which has limited locking support. — Option B is correct because EFS does not support NFS v3 file locking properly; NFS v4.1 is recommended for locking. Option A is wrong because EFS access points do not affect locking. Option C is wrong because security group would not cause locking failures. Option D is wrong because throughput is unrelated to locking.
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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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.
Question Discussion
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