The correct actions are to deploy a second HANA instance in a different Availability Zone and configure cross-AZ replication. This ensures resilience to an Availability Zone failure by maintaining a synchronized standby database in a separate physical location, so if the primary AZ goes down, the replicated instance can take over with minimal data loss. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of high availability versus disaster recovery for SAP HANA, specifically that Multi-AZ RDS provides HA for the database layer while cross-AZ replication handles DR. A common trap is confusing stateless auto scaling or EBS snapshots with true AZ resilience—auto scaling cannot recover a failed database state, and snapshots are for backup, not real-time failover. Remember the memory tip: “Two AZs, one replication link” for SAP HANA HA, and never rely on CloudWatch alone for infrastructure resilience.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company is running SAP HANA on an EC2 instance. The administrator needs to ensure that the instance is resilient to an Availability Zone failure. Which actions should the administrator take? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set up SAP HANA System Replication between instances in two Availability Zones.
Options B and D are correct. B: Multi-AZ RDS provides HA for database. D: Cross-AZ replication provides DR. Option A is wrong because auto scaling is for stateless apps. Option C is wrong because EBS snapshots are not for HA. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch does not provide HA.
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.
✗
Configure Auto Scaling to automatically launch a new instance in another AZ.
Why it's wrong here
Auto Scaling is for scaling, not for HANA HA.
✗
Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor instance health and trigger a recovery.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch cannot recover HANA; a separate instance is needed.
✓
Set up SAP HANA System Replication between instances in two Availability Zones.
Why this is correct
HSR provides data replication across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Deploy a second HANA instance in a different AZ and configure replication.
Why this is correct
This ensures HA across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Take daily EBS snapshots of the HANA data volume.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots are for backup, not for HA.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up SAP HANA System Replication between instances in two Availability Zones. — Options B and D are correct. B: Multi-AZ RDS provides HA for database. D: Cross-AZ replication provides DR. Option A is wrong because auto scaling is for stateless apps. Option C is wrong because EBS snapshots are not for HA. Option E is wrong because CloudWatch does not provide HA.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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