- A
Add more vCPUs by changing to a C5 instance.
Why wrong: C5 instances are also non-burstable and may increase cost without addressing the credit issue.
- B
Enable T3 unlimited on the instance.
T3 unlimited allows the instance to burst beyond the baseline, paying extra only when credits are exhausted, which is cost-effective for intermittent spikes.
- C
Change the instance type to M5.large.
Why wrong: M5 instances are more expensive and may not be necessary if the workload is intermittent.
- D
Increase the size of the EBS volumes.
Why wrong: EBS size does not affect CPU credits.
Question 489 of 1,733
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
An SAP system is experiencing high CPU utilization on the application server. CloudWatch metrics show that the CPU credit balance for the T3 instance is frequently depleted. What is the most cost-effective solution to resolve this issue while maintaining 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
✓
Enable T3 unlimited on the instance.
Option B is correct because enabling T3 unlimited allows the instance to burst beyond its baseline CPU utilization by spending credits, and when credits are exhausted, it can still burst by incurring a small additional charge per vCPU-hour. This is the most cost-effective solution as it avoids the need to migrate to a larger or different instance type, while maintaining performance for the SAP system's variable workloads.
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.
- ✗
Add more vCPUs by changing to a C5 instance.
Why it's wrong here
C5 instances are also non-burstable and may increase cost without addressing the credit issue.
- ✓
Enable T3 unlimited on the instance.
Why this is correct
T3 unlimited allows the instance to burst beyond the baseline, paying extra only when credits are exhausted, which is cost-effective for intermittent spikes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the instance type to M5.large.
Why it's wrong here
M5 instances are more expensive and may not be necessary if the workload is intermittent.
- ✗
Increase the size of the EBS volumes.
Why it's wrong here
EBS size does not affect CPU credits.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the only way to fix CPU credit exhaustion is to move to a larger or non-burstable instance, overlooking the cost-effective T3 unlimited feature that allows continued bursting with minimal additional cost.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
T3 instances use a CPU credit mechanism where each credit provides one minute of 100% CPU utilization on a single vCPU. When the credit balance is depleted, the instance is throttled to its baseline (e.g., 40% for t3.large) unless T3 unlimited is enabled, which allows sustained bursting at a flat additional charge of $0.05 per vCPU-hour over the baseline. This is ideal for SAP systems that have periodic spikes in CPU demand, such as during batch jobs or month-end processing, without requiring a permanent upgrade.
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 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.
Visual reference
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.
- →
Technology — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Technology practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PAS-C01 questions
1,733 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PAS-C01 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PAS-C01 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to Design of SAP Workloads on AWS.
Technology practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to Technology.
Migration practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to Migration.
Operations and Maintenance practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to Operations and Maintenance.
PAS-C01 fundamentals practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to PAS-C01 fundamentals.
PAS-C01 scenario practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to PAS-C01 scenario.
PAS-C01 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PAS-C01 questions linked to PAS-C01 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PAS-C01 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
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: Enable T3 unlimited on the instance. — Option B is correct because enabling T3 unlimited allows the instance to burst beyond its baseline CPU utilization by spending credits, and when credits are exhausted, it can still burst by incurring a small additional charge per vCPU-hour. This is the most cost-effective solution as it avoids the need to migrate to a larger or different instance type, while maintaining performance for the SAP system's variable workloads.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More PAS-C01 practice questions
- A company runs SAP S/4HANA on AWS. The environment includes an SAP HANA database on an EC2 instance with multiple EBS vo…
- A company runs SAP S/4HANA on AWS with a High Availability (HA) cluster spanning two Availability Zones (us-east-1a and…
- A company is planning to migrate its SAP landscape to AWS. The landscape includes development, quality assurance, and pr…
- A company is using AWS Systems Manager Patch Manager to patch a fleet of EC2 instances. The instances are in a patch gro…
- A company is migrating a legacy on-premises application to AWS. The application uses a MySQL database with a complex sto…
- A company is migrating a large SAP ERP system to AWS using SAP HANA. They want to minimize downtime and ensure consisten…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.