- A
Increase the EC2 instance memory to 64 GB
Why wrong: Temporary fix; doesn't scale automatically.
- B
Reduce the Java heap size in the SAP system
Why wrong: Would increase crashes due to insufficient heap.
- C
Increase the swap space on the EC2 instance
Why wrong: Swap is slower; not a long-term solution.
- D
Configure Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization
Auto scaling adds capacity when memory is high.
Question 1,581 of 1,733
SAP Application Server Auto Scaling — Solve Out-of-Memory Errors
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. A key principle to apply: amazon CloudWatch. 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 Business Suite on AWS. The SAP system frequently crashes with a 'JAVA out of memory' error. The application server is an EC2 instance with 32 GB RAM. Which solution should be implemented to prevent this issue?
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
✓
Configure Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization
The correct answer is D. By configuring Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization, the system can automatically add more application server instances when memory usage is high. This distributes the load and prevents any single instance from running out of Java heap space. Option A is incorrect because manually increasing the EC2 instance memory is a temporary workaround that does not scale automatically. Option B is incorrect as reducing the Java heap size would increase the likelihood of out-of-memory errors. Option C is incorrect because increasing swap space can cause severe performance degradation and does not resolve the underlying memory shortage.
Key principle: Amazon CloudWatch
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase the EC2 instance memory to 64 GB
Why it's wrong here
Temporary fix; doesn't scale automatically.
- ✗
Reduce the Java heap size in the SAP system
Why it's wrong here
Would increase crashes due to insufficient heap.
- ✗
Increase the swap space on the EC2 instance
Why it's wrong here
Swap is slower; not a long-term solution.
- ✓
Configure Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization
Why this is correct
Auto scaling adds capacity when memory is high.
Related concept
Amazon CloudWatch
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
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Amazon CloudWatch
- EC2 Auto Scaling
- Memory Utilization Metric
- Scaling Policy
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
Amazon CloudWatch
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review amazon CloudWatch, then practise related PAS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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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 — Amazon CloudWatch.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization — The correct answer is D. By configuring Amazon CloudWatch alarms to trigger EC2 Auto Scaling based on memory utilization, the system can automatically add more application server instances when memory usage is high. This distributes the load and prevents any single instance from running out of Java heap space. Option A is incorrect because manually increasing the EC2 instance memory is a temporary workaround that does not scale automatically. Option B is incorrect as reducing the Java heap size would increase the likelihood of out-of-memory errors. Option C is incorrect because increasing swap space can cause severe performance degradation and does not resolve the underlying memory shortage.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Review amazon CloudWatch, then practise related PAS-C01 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Amazon CloudWatch
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PAS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your company runs SAP Business Suite on AWS. The system has a three-tier architecture with a web dispatcher, application servers, and a HANA database. The operations team has been receiving alerts about high CPU usage on the application servers during peak hours. The application servers are currently running on m5.large instances. You need to ensure consistent performance without over-provisioning. What is the most cost-effective solution?
easy- A.Add more application servers manually during peak hours
- B.Upgrade all application servers to m5.xlarge instances
- C.Use reserved instances to lower cost but keep existing instances
- ✓ D.Configure Auto Scaling with a step scaling policy based on CPU utilization
Why D: Configuring Auto Scaling with a step scaling policy based on CPU utilization automatically adds or removes application servers in response to demand. This ensures consistent performance during peak hours without permanently over-provisioning resources, making it the most cost-effective solution. Option D is correct.
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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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