- A
Use AWS DataSync to transfer data over the Direct Connect connection in multiple concurrent tasks.
Why wrong: At 1 Gbps, 500 TB would take approximately 46 days, exceeding the 30-day window.
- B
Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel, then copy from the devices to S3 using the Snowball client.
Snowball Edge devices provide physical transport, overcoming bandwidth limitations and ensuring the transfer completes within 30 days.
- C
Use a single AWS Snowball Edge device and copy data incrementally.
Why wrong: A single Snowball Edge device has limited storage (up to 80 TB), requiring multiple shipments; using multiple devices in parallel is more efficient.
- D
Use S3 Transfer Acceleration to speed up transfers over the internet.
Why wrong: Transfer Acceleration optimizes internet paths but still limited by the 1 Gbps Direct Connect; not enough for 500 TB in 30 days.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel, then copy from the devices to S3 using the Snowball client. This is correct because for a 500 TB large data migration over a 1 Gbps Direct Connect link, the network can only transfer roughly 324 TB in 30 days, making it impossible to meet the migration window without saturating the link and causing latency. Snowball Edge bypasses network constraints entirely by physically shipping high-capacity storage devices, and using multiple devices in parallel ensures the full 500 TB transfers within the window while keeping file access low-latency during the migration. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to choose offline data transfer when network bandwidth is insufficient for the data volume and timeline—a common trap is assuming Direct Connect alone can handle large-scale migrations. Remember the “bandwidth math” trick: 1 Gbps for 30 days equals only ~324 TB, so if your data exceeds that, think Snowball.
PAS-C01 Migration Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of migration. 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.
A media company is migrating its on-premises video processing infrastructure to AWS. The current infrastructure uses a custom application that splits video files into segments, transcodes them using FFmpeg, and assembles the final output. The application runs on a single server with 64 vCPUs and 256 GB RAM. The migration plan is to use AWS Batch with EC2 instances for the transcoding jobs. The video files are stored on an on-premises NAS and will be migrated to Amazon S3. The company needs to minimize latency for file access during migration and reduce the time to transfer initial data. The company has a 1 Gbps AWS Direct Connect connection. The total data volume is 500 TB. The migration window is 30 days. Which approach should the team use to transfer the initial data to S3 with the lowest latency and within the migration window?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel, then copy from the devices to S3 using the Snowball client.
Option B is correct because AWS Snowball Edge devices provide a physical, high-bandwidth transfer method that bypasses network constraints entirely. With 500 TB of data and a 1 Gbps Direct Connect link, the theoretical maximum transfer over the network in 30 days is only ~324 TB (1 Gbps * 30 days * 86400 seconds/day / 8 bits per byte), which is insufficient. Multiple Snowball Edge devices in parallel can transfer the full 500 TB within the migration window without saturating the Direct Connect link, and the Snowball client efficiently copies data to S3 after the devices are returned.
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.
- ✗
Use AWS DataSync to transfer data over the Direct Connect connection in multiple concurrent tasks.
Why it's wrong here
At 1 Gbps, 500 TB would take approximately 46 days, exceeding the 30-day window.
- ✓
Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel, then copy from the devices to S3 using the Snowball client.
Why this is correct
Snowball Edge devices provide physical transport, overcoming bandwidth limitations and ensuring the transfer completes within 30 days.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use a single AWS Snowball Edge device and copy data incrementally.
Why it's wrong here
A single Snowball Edge device has limited storage (up to 80 TB), requiring multiple shipments; using multiple devices in parallel is more efficient.
- ✗
Use S3 Transfer Acceleration to speed up transfers over the internet.
Why it's wrong here
Transfer Acceleration optimizes internet paths but still limited by the 1 Gbps Direct Connect; not enough for 500 TB in 30 days.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates underestimate the bandwidth limitation of a 1 Gbps Direct Connect link over a 30-day window, assuming it can handle 500 TB, while failing to calculate the actual throughput (max ~324 TB) and ignoring that network overhead and contention further reduce effective transfer rates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Snowball Edge devices use a hardened, tamper-resistant appliance with built-in storage and compute, and the Snowball client uses parallel data transfer with SHA-256 checksum verification to ensure data integrity. Under the hood, the device uses a custom NFS endpoint or S3-compatible interface, and the transfer speed is limited by the local network (typically 10 Gbps or higher) rather than the WAN, making it ideal for large-scale migrations. In real-world scenarios, multiple Snowball Edge devices can be ordered simultaneously, and the data can be copied in parallel across devices, then imported into S3 using the Snowball client with automatic encryption and validation.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use multiple AWS Snowball Edge devices to transfer the data in parallel, then copy from the devices to S3 using the Snowball client. — Option B is correct because AWS Snowball Edge devices provide a physical, high-bandwidth transfer method that bypasses network constraints entirely. With 500 TB of data and a 1 Gbps Direct Connect link, the theoretical maximum transfer over the network in 30 days is only ~324 TB (1 Gbps * 30 days * 86400 seconds/day / 8 bits per byte), which is insufficient. Multiple Snowball Edge devices in parallel can transfer the full 500 TB within the migration window without saturating the Direct Connect link, and the Snowball client efficiently copies data to S3 after the devices are returned.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PAS-C01
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. A company is migrating an SAP HANA database from on-premises to AWS. The current system uses 8 TB of data. The migration must be completed within a 4-hour downtime window. The network link has 1 Gbps throughput. What is the MOST efficient migration strategy?
medium- A.Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with ongoing replication
- B.Use AWS Direct Connect to increase bandwidth
- C.Use AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
- ✓ D.Use AWS Snowball Edge to transfer the data offline
Why D: At 1 Gbps, transferring 8 TB over the network would take approximately 18 hours (8 TB * 1024 GB/TB * 8 bits/byte / 1 Gbps = 65536 seconds = ~18 hours), exceeding the 4-hour window. AWS Snowball Edge can transport 8 TB offline. Option B (AWS Snowball Edge) is correct. Option A (AWS DMS) would not meet the time constraint. Option C (AWS MGN) is for server migration, not database. Option D (Direct Connect) still has the same bandwidth limitation.
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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