- A
The EFS file system does not provide sufficient IOPS for HANA workloads.
Why wrong: EFS can scale IOPS; the issue is not IOPS but latency due to cross-AZ access.
- B
The EFS Elastic Throughput mode is throttling the HANA database traffic.
Why wrong: Elastic Throughput mode is designed to handle bursts and should not throttle unless extremely high usage exceeds limits.
- C
The EFS mount target is in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance, causing high latency and potential timeouts.
Accessing EFS across Availability Zones increases latency, which can cause HANA to become unresponsive.
- D
The EFS file system has reached its maximum number of concurrent connections.
Why wrong: EFS supports thousands of concurrent connections; this is unlikely to be the cause.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the EFS mount target being in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance causes high latency and intermittent timeouts. This is because EFS access across Availability Zones introduces cross-AZ data transfer latency, which is detrimental to SAP HANA’s performance requirements for low-latency shared storage. Even with Elastic Throughput mode, the physical distance between the mount target and the EC2 instance creates network delays that can cause the HANA database to become unresponsive during critical operations. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that EFS cross-AZ latency directly impacts SAP HANA performance, and that shared volumes must reside in the same Availability Zone as the active node to avoid timeouts. A common trap is assuming Elastic Throughput mode solves all performance issues, but it does not mitigate physical latency. Memory tip: keep your EFS mount target in the same AZ as your active HANA node—same zone, same throne.
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 SAP HANA on AWS using a clustered environment with two EC2 instances in an active/passive configuration. The cluster uses a shared EFS file system for the SAP HANA shared volume. The operations team recently migrated the EFS file system from the previous generation to Elastic Throughput mode to improve performance. After the migration, the HANA database becomes unresponsive intermittently. The team notices that the EFS mount target is in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance. What is the most likely cause of the unresponsiveness?
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 EFS mount target is in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance, causing high latency and potential timeouts.
Option B is correct. EFS access from a different Availability Zone incurs cross-AZ data transfer costs and higher latency, which can cause performance issues and timeouts for HANA. Option A is wrong because HANA does not require provisioned IOPS for shared storage; EFS is suitable. Option C is wrong because Elastic Throughput mode is designed to handle variable workloads. Option D is wrong because HANA does not block a certain number of concurrent connections to EFS; the issue is latency.
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 EFS file system does not provide sufficient IOPS for HANA workloads.
Why it's wrong here
EFS can scale IOPS; the issue is not IOPS but latency due to cross-AZ access.
- ✗
The EFS Elastic Throughput mode is throttling the HANA database traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Elastic Throughput mode is designed to handle bursts and should not throttle unless extremely high usage exceeds limits.
- ✓
The EFS mount target is in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance, causing high latency and potential timeouts.
Why this is correct
Accessing EFS across Availability Zones increases latency, which can cause HANA to become unresponsive.
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 EFS file system has reached its maximum number of concurrent connections.
Why it's wrong here
EFS supports thousands of concurrent connections; this is unlikely to be the cause.
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 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.
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: The EFS mount target is in a different Availability Zone than the active HANA instance, causing high latency and potential timeouts. — Option B is correct. EFS access from a different Availability Zone incurs cross-AZ data transfer costs and higher latency, which can cause performance issues and timeouts for HANA. Option A is wrong because HANA does not require provisioned IOPS for shared storage; EFS is suitable. Option C is wrong because Elastic Throughput mode is designed to handle variable workloads. Option D is wrong because HANA does not block a certain number of concurrent connections to EFS; the issue is latency.
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.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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