This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
The exhibit shows the block device mapping of an EC2 instance running SAP HANA. The root volume (/dev/xvda) has DeleteOnTermination set to true, and the data volume (/dev/sdf) has DeleteOnTermination set to false. If the instance is terminated, what happens to the data volume?
Only the data volume is deleted; the root volume remains.
Why wrong: Root volume is deleted; data volume is not.
Both volumes are detached and moved to Amazon S3.
Why wrong: Volumes are not moved to S3; they remain as EBS volumes.
Both volumes are deleted.
Why wrong: Root volume is deleted, but data volume is not.
Only the root volume is deleted; the data volume remains.
The data volume's DeleteOnTermination is false, so it persists.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Only the root volume is deleted; the data volume remains.
The DeleteOnTermination attribute controls whether a volume is deleted when its associated EC2 instance is terminated. For the root volume (/dev/xvda), this attribute is set to true, so it will be deleted upon termination. For the data volume (/dev/sdf), it is set to false, meaning the volume will be detached from the instance and preserved in your AWS account, allowing you to reattach it to another instance or take snapshots. Therefore, only the root volume is deleted, and the data volume remains.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Only the data volume is deleted; the root volume remains.
Why it's wrong here
Root volume is deleted; data volume is not.
Both volumes are detached and moved to Amazon S3.
Why it's wrong here
Volumes are not moved to S3; they remain as EBS volumes.
Both volumes are deleted.
Why it's wrong here
Root volume is deleted, but data volume is not.
Only the root volume is deleted; the data volume remains.
Why this is correct
The data volume's DeleteOnTermination is false, so it persists.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume all volumes attached to an instance are deleted on termination, ignoring the specific DeleteOnTermination flag, or they confuse the behavior with instance store volumes which are always ephemeral.
Detailed technical explanation
The DeleteOnTermination attribute is a per-volume setting defined in the block device mapping during instance launch or via the AWS CLI/API. When an instance is terminated, the EBS service checks this flag: if true, the volume is automatically deleted; if false, the volume enters an 'available' state and persists independently. This is critical for SAP HANA deployments where data volumes must survive instance termination to avoid data loss, and the root volume can be ephemeral for OS rehydration.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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FAQ
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Only the root volume is deleted; the data volume remains. — The DeleteOnTermination attribute controls whether a volume is deleted when its associated EC2 instance is terminated. For the root volume (/dev/xvda), this attribute is set to true, so it will be deleted upon termination. For the data volume (/dev/sdf), it is set to false, meaning the volume will be detached from the instance and preserved in your AWS account, allowing you to reattach it to another instance or take snapshots. Therefore, only the root volume is deleted, and the data volume remains.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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