- A
Migrate the database data to an instance store volume for higher IOPS.
Why wrong: Migrating to instance store volumes is not recommended for persistent database data because instance store is ephemeral and data would be lost on instance stop/termination. Additionally, instance store may not provide the required IOPS consistency.
- B
Increase the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume to provide more headroom.
Increasing the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume directly addresses the I/O bottleneck by providing more headroom, reducing queue length and improving performance. This is the simplest and most effective action.
- C
Add additional EBS volumes to the LVM stripe and redistribute the data.
Why wrong: Adding additional EBS volumes to the LVM stripe can increase total IOPS but involves complex reconfiguration and data redistribution. It may be more disruptive than simply increasing IOPS on the existing volume, especially if the current volume supports elastic IOPS adjustments.
- D
Upgrade the database instance to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth.
Why wrong: Upgrading the database instance to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth does not directly resolve the I/O bottleneck on the EBS volume. CPU and memory utilization are not fully utilized, so this would not address the issue.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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.
A company runs its SAP S/4HANA system on AWS using a cluster of EC2 instances for the application tier and a single large EC2 instance for the HANA database. The database instance uses EBS volumes striped with LVM for data and log. Recently, the operations team noticed that the database performance has degraded significantly during peak hours. CloudWatch metrics show that the average ReadIOPS for the data volume is consistently at 80% of the provisioned IOPS limit, and the average queue length is above 10. The CPU utilization of the database instance is around 60%, and memory usage is 70%. The team has already verified that there are no network bottlenecks and that the SAP application is not misconfigured. Which of the following is the MOST effective action to improve database performance?
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
Increase the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume to provide more headroom.
The symptoms indicate that the EBS volume is reaching its IOPS limit, causing queuing. Increasing the provisioned IOPS for the data volume (Option B) will directly address the I/O bottleneck. Option A suggests migrating to instance store volumes, which are ephemeral and not recommended for persistent database data. Option C involves adding more EBS volumes and re-striping, which could increase IOPS but is more complex and may not be necessary if the existing volume supports elastic IOPS adjustments. Option D suggests upgrading to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth, but CPU and memory are not fully utilized, so that may not address the I/O bottleneck. Therefore, increasing IOPS on the existing volume is the simplest and most effective.
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.
- ✗
Migrate the database data to an instance store volume for higher IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
Migrating to instance store volumes is not recommended for persistent database data because instance store is ephemeral and data would be lost on instance stop/termination. Additionally, instance store may not provide the required IOPS consistency.
- ✓
Increase the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume to provide more headroom.
Why this is correct
Increasing the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume directly addresses the I/O bottleneck by providing more headroom, reducing queue length and improving performance. This is the simplest and most effective action.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Add additional EBS volumes to the LVM stripe and redistribute the data.
Why it's wrong here
Adding additional EBS volumes to the LVM stripe can increase total IOPS but involves complex reconfiguration and data redistribution. It may be more disruptive than simply increasing IOPS on the existing volume, especially if the current volume supports elastic IOPS adjustments.
- ✗
Upgrade the database instance to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth.
Why it's wrong here
Upgrading the database instance to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth does not directly resolve the I/O bottleneck on the EBS volume. CPU and memory utilization are not fully utilized, so this would not address the issue.
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
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.
Quick reference
RAID Level Comparison
| RAID Level | Min Disks | Fault Tolerance | Read | Write | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2 | None | Excellent | Excellent | 100% |
| RAID 1 | 2 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 50% |
| RAID 5 | 3 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 67–94% |
| RAID 6 | 4 | 2 disks | Good | Lower | 50–88% |
| RAID 10 | 4 | 1 disk per mirror | Excellent | Good | 50% |
RAID is not a backup strategy — it protects against disk failure but not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or site-level events.
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.
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Operations and Maintenance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Increase the provisioned IOPS on the existing EBS data volume to provide more headroom. — The symptoms indicate that the EBS volume is reaching its IOPS limit, causing queuing. Increasing the provisioned IOPS for the data volume (Option B) will directly address the I/O bottleneck. Option A suggests migrating to instance store volumes, which are ephemeral and not recommended for persistent database data. Option C involves adding more EBS volumes and re-striping, which could increase IOPS but is more complex and may not be necessary if the existing volume supports elastic IOPS adjustments. Option D suggests upgrading to a larger EC2 instance type with higher network bandwidth, but CPU and memory are not fully utilized, so that may not address the I/O bottleneck. Therefore, increasing IOPS on the existing volume is the simplest and most effective.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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