The answer is that the ALB is not configured for sticky sessions, which is the most likely cause of intermittent SAP session drops. This occurs because the Application Load Balancer operates at Layer 7 and, by default, distributes each request independently across healthy targets, while SAP Web Dispatchers store user session state—such as logon tickets and application context—locally. Without session affinity, subsequent requests from the same user can land on a different Web Dispatcher that lacks the session context, forcing the session to drop. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Layer 7 load balancing interacts with SAP’s stateful architecture; a common trap is assuming the ALB inherently maintains session continuity. Remember the memory tip: “Sticky for stateful SAP” — if SAP sessions drop intermittently, always check that ALB stickiness is enabled using the ALB-generated cookie to pin each user to one Web Dispatcher.
PAS-C01 Design of SAP Workloads on AWS Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. 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 uses an Application Load Balancer (ALB) to distribute traffic to multiple SAP Web Dispatchers. The system is experiencing intermittent session drops. 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 ALB is not configured for sticky sessions.
The ALB operates at Layer 7 and, by default, distributes each request independently across healthy targets. SAP Web Dispatchers maintain user session state (e.g., logon tickets, application context) locally. Without sticky sessions (session affinity) enabled on the ALB, subsequent requests from the same user can be routed to a different Web Dispatcher, causing the new dispatcher to lack the session context and dropping the user's session. Enabling stickiness based on the ALB-generated cookie ensures all requests from a session are sent to the same Web Dispatcher, preventing these intermittent drops.
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 ALB is not configured for sticky sessions.
Why this is correct
Without sticky sessions, subsequent requests may go to different Web Dispatchers, breaking session state.
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 ALB deletion protection is enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Deletion protection does not affect running traffic.
✗
The ALB health check interval is too short.
Why it's wrong here
Short health checks may mark instances unhealthy temporarily, but not typical cause.
✗
Cross-zone load balancing is not enabled on the ALB.
Why it's wrong here
Cross-zone LB affects distribution, not session persistence.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse health check intervals or cross-zone load balancing with session persistence, assuming that any routing issue must be caused by target availability or distribution, rather than recognizing that the ALB's default stateless behavior is the root cause of session drops in stateful SAP Web Dispatcher deployments.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The ALB uses an AWSALB cookie for sticky sessions, which is generated and inserted by the load balancer on the first response. The cookie contains an encrypted identifier of the target that served the request; the ALB then inspects subsequent requests for this cookie to route them to the same target. SAP Web Dispatchers rely on this persistence to maintain user logon contexts and application states; without it, a user might be redirected to a dispatcher that has no record of their session, triggering a re-login or error. In production SAP landscapes, this is a common misconfiguration because administrators often assume HTTP load balancers inherently preserve sessions, but Layer 7 load balancers are stateless by design.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — This question tests Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The ALB is not configured for sticky sessions. — The ALB operates at Layer 7 and, by default, distributes each request independently across healthy targets. SAP Web Dispatchers maintain user session state (e.g., logon tickets, application context) locally. Without sticky sessions (session affinity) enabled on the ALB, subsequent requests from the same user can be routed to a different Web Dispatcher, causing the new dispatcher to lack the session context and dropping the user's session. Enabling stickiness based on the ALB-generated cookie ensures all requests from a session are sent to the same Web Dispatcher, preventing these intermittent drops.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
About these practice questions
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Variation 1. A company is running SAP Business Suite on AWS. The SAP application servers are behind an Application Load Balancer (ALB). Users are experiencing session timeouts because the ALB is distributing requests to different application servers. What should the company configure on the ALB to maintain session stickiness?
hard
A.Use a Network Load Balancer instead of an Application Load Balancer.
✓ B.Enable sticky sessions using the ALB-generated cookie.
C.Enable cross-zone load balancing on the ALB.
D.Enable path-based routing to route all requests from a user to the same server.
Why B: Option C is correct because Application Load Balancers support sticky sessions using cookies (either application-generated or AWS-generated). This ensures that a user's requests are sent to the same target group member. Option A is incorrect because path-based routing is for routing requests based on URL path, not for session stickiness. Option B is incorrect because cross-zone load balancing distributes traffic across all zones, but does not ensure stickiness. Option D is incorrect because a Network Load Balancer does not natively support sticky sessions for SAP.
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Question Discussion
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