- A
The quorum device (EBS volume) was not re-attached or was not available in the same Availability Zone as the new ASCS instance.
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.
- B
The instance type of the new ASCS instance is different from the original, causing incompatibility with the SAP kernel.
Why wrong: Instance type change does not affect quorum device availability.
- C
The ASCS instance does not have a public IP address, preventing communication with the quorum device.
Why wrong: Quorum communication can occur over private IP; public IP is not required.
- D
The Security Group associated with the ASCS instance does not allow inbound traffic on the quorum port.
Why wrong: Quorum is typically based on shared storage or network connectivity, not a specific port.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the quorum device (EBS volume) was not re-attached or was not available in the same Availability Zone as the new ASCS instance. This is correct because in an SAP on AWS high-availability cluster, the ASCS and ERS instances use a shared quorum device—typically an EBS volume—to maintain cluster state and prevent split-brain scenarios. EBS volumes are tied to a single Availability Zone, so when an Auto Scaling group terminates and re-launches the ASCS instance, the new instance must be in the same AZ as that volume; otherwise, the SAP cluster cannot locate the quorum device, causing the ASCS to fail. On the PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Auto Scaling interacts with AZ-specific resources in SAP HA setups—a common trap is assuming the AMI alone preserves cluster state. Memory tip: think “EBS is AZ-locked, so your ASCS must follow the volume, not the other way around.”
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. 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 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may 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.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The quorum device in an SAP cluster (often using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with Pacemaker or Red Hat High Availability) is typically a small EBS volume (e.g., 1 GiB) formatted with a filesystem like OCFS2 or used as a SBD (STONITH Block Device) fencing mechanism. When an instance is replaced, the Auto Scaling group must be configured with a lifecycle hook or a custom script to re-attach the same EBS volume from the original AZ; otherwise, the new instance will lack the quorum device, and the cluster will fail to form. This is a common pitfall when using Auto Scaling groups for SAP instances without proper stateful handling.
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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
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 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.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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