PAS-C01 Design of SAP Workloads on AWS Practice Question
An SAP workload on AWS uses an Auto Scaling group for the SAP Central Services (ASCS) and Enqueue Replication Server (ERS) instances. The instances are launched with a custom AMI that includes the SAP software. During a recent failover test, the ASCS instance failed to start after being terminated and re-launched by the Auto Scaling group. The error log indicates that the ASCS instance cannot find the quorum device. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often think the issue is related to network connectivity or security groups, but the real problem is the AZ-specific nature of EBS volumes and the requirement to re-attach the quorum device to the new instance.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The quorum device (EBS volume) was not re-attached or was not available in the same Availability Zone as the new ASCS instance.
In an SAP on AWS high-availability setup, the ASCS and ERS instances rely on a shared quorum device (typically an EBS volume or an Amazon EFS file system) to maintain cluster state and prevent split-brain scenarios. When the Auto Scaling group terminates and re-launches the ASCS instance, the new instance must have the quorum device attached and be in the same Availability Zone as the EBS volume (since EBS volumes are AZ-specific). If the quorum device is not re-attached or is in a different AZ, the SAP cluster cannot find it, causing the ASCS instance to fail to start.
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 quorum device (EBS volume) was not re-attached or was not available in the same Availability Zone as the new ASCS instance.
Why this is correct
In a multi-AZ setup, the quorum device must be accessible to the new instance; if it's an EBS volume, it is tied to a specific AZ.
- ✗
The instance type of the new ASCS instance is different from the original, causing incompatibility with the SAP kernel.
Why it's wrong here
Instance type change does not affect quorum device availability.
- ✗
The ASCS instance does not have a public IP address, preventing communication with the quorum device.
Why it's wrong here
Quorum communication can occur over private IP; public IP is not required.
- ✗
The Security Group associated with the ASCS instance does not allow inbound traffic on the quorum port.
Why it's wrong here
Quorum is typically based on shared storage or network connectivity, not a specific port.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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