PAS-C01 Migration Practice Question
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. An SAP HANA system is running on an EC2 instance with the attached volumes shown. The HANA system requires high IOPS for its data volume. Which volume should be used for the HANA data directory?
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
✓
vol-1a2b3c4d5e6f78901 (io1)
The io1 volume (vol-1a2b3c4d5e6f78901) provides 10,000 IOPS, which is significantly higher than the gp3 volume's 3,000 IOPS. SAP HANA data directory requires high IOPS for optimal performance, making the io1 volume the best choice. Option A (using both volumes for striping) is unnecessary and adds complexity, while Option B (gp3) has insufficient IOPS. Option C (instance store) is ephemeral and not suitable for persistent HANA data. Therefore, Option D is correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Both volumes for striping
Why it's wrong here
Striping is not recommended for HANA data; use dedicated high-performance volume.
- ✗
vol-0a1b2c3d4e5f67890 (gp3)
Why it's wrong here
gp3 has lower IOPS than io1, not ideal for HANA data.
- ✗
Neither volume; use instance store
Why it's wrong here
Instance store volumes provide only ephemeral block storage, meaning data is lost if the EC2 instance is stopped or terminated, which violates the persistent storage requirement for an SAP HANA data directory. This option is tempting because instance store offers very high IOPS and low latency for temporary data, making it suitable for swap space or temporary tablespaces, but not for permanent HANA data.
- ✓
vol-1a2b3c4d5e6f78901 (io1)
Why this is correct
io1 provides higher IOPS, suitable for HANA data.
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.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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