- A
Upgrade to a larger instance type from a different instance family
Why wrong: Largest instance already in use; upgrading may not be possible.
- B
Purchase Reserved Instances to reduce cost and allocate more resources
Why wrong: Reserved Instances do not increase capacity.
- C
Add an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone
Horizontal scaling distributes load across multiple servers.
- D
Use Auto Scaling to automatically add instances during peak hours
Why wrong: Auto Scaling requires pre-configured instances; but adding instances is correct, but the option is incomplete.
Question 276 of 1,733
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
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.
An SAP system running on AWS is experiencing high CPU usage on the application server during peak hours. The system is already using the largest instance type available in the current generation. What is the most cost-effective solution to handle the peak load?
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
✓
Add an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone
SAP on AWS supports horizontal scaling by adding more application servers to distribute the load, which is the most cost-effective approach when the current instance type is already the largest available. Option C correctly adds an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone, leveraging SAP's native architecture to handle peak CPU usage without incurring the cost of a larger, potentially unavailable instance.
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.
- ✗
Upgrade to a larger instance type from a different instance family
Why it's wrong here
Largest instance already in use; upgrading may not be possible.
- ✗
Purchase Reserved Instances to reduce cost and allocate more resources
Why it's wrong here
Reserved Instances do not increase capacity.
- ✓
Add an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone
Why this is correct
Horizontal scaling distributes load across multiple servers.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Auto Scaling to automatically add instances during peak hours
Why it's wrong here
Auto Scaling requires pre-configured instances; but adding instances is correct, but the option is incomplete.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Auto Scaling (Option D) with SAP's native horizontal scaling, but Auto Scaling is not a standard SAP feature and requires significant custom implementation, making Option C the correct and most cost-effective answer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SAP application servers are stateless from a user session perspective, allowing multiple instances to run in parallel behind a load balancer (e.g., SAP Web Dispatcher or AWS Application Load Balancer). Adding an application server in the same Availability Zone ensures low-latency communication with the database layer, which is critical for SAP's dialog work processes. In real-world scenarios, this horizontal scaling approach is preferred over vertical scaling because it provides linear performance gains and avoids the cost premium of oversized instances.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Add an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone — SAP on AWS supports horizontal scaling by adding more application servers to distribute the load, which is the most cost-effective approach when the current instance type is already the largest available. Option C correctly adds an additional SAP application server in the same Availability Zone, leveraging SAP's native architecture to handle peak CPU usage without incurring the cost of a larger, potentially unavailable instance.
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.
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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.
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