- A
Deploy a second ASCS instance in another AZ and use an EC2 instance running NFS server with an EBS volume
Why wrong: This adds complexity and a single point of failure on the NFS server.
- B
Use an Amazon EBS volume attached to the ASCS instance and replicate it to another Availability Zone using EBS Snapshots
Why wrong: EBS volumes cannot be attached to multiple instances; snapshots are not real-time.
- C
Use Amazon S3 and mount it using s3fs-fuse for the shared file system
Why wrong: S3 is not POSIX-compliant and s3fs-fuse is not recommended for SAP.
- D
Use Amazon EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configure a Pacemaker cluster across two Availability Zones
EFS is a managed NFS file system that is highly available and integrates with Pacemaker for automatic failover.
SAP ASCS High Availability on AWS: Using EFS and Pacemaker
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. 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 on AWS has an SAP Central Services (ASCS) instance running on an EC2 instance. The solution must ensure high availability for the ASCS in case of an EC2 failure. The ASCS uses a shared file system for the /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans directories. Which architecture meets the high availability requirement with the least administrative overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Use Amazon EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configure a Pacemaker cluster across two Availability Zones
Amazon EFS provides a fully managed, highly available, and durable NFS file system that can be mounted concurrently across multiple EC2 instances in different Availability Zones. By using EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configuring a Pacemaker cluster across two AZs, you achieve automatic failover for the ASCS instance without the administrative overhead of managing a separate NFS server or replicating snapshots.
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.
- ✗
Deploy a second ASCS instance in another AZ and use an EC2 instance running NFS server with an EBS volume
Why it's wrong here
This adds complexity and a single point of failure on the NFS server.
- ✗
Use an Amazon EBS volume attached to the ASCS instance and replicate it to another Availability Zone using EBS Snapshots
Why it's wrong here
EBS volumes cannot be attached to multiple instances; snapshots are not real-time.
- ✗
Use Amazon S3 and mount it using s3fs-fuse for the shared file system
Why it's wrong here
S3 is not POSIX-compliant and s3fs-fuse is not recommended for SAP.
- ✓
Use Amazon EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configure a Pacemaker cluster across two Availability Zones
Why this is correct
EFS is a managed NFS file system that is highly available and integrates with Pacemaker for automatic failover.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may overlook the need for a fully managed, POSIX-compliant shared file system and instead choose a self-managed NFS server or a non-POSIX solution like S3, not realizing that SAP ASCS requires concurrent access with file locking and low latency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SAP ASCS requires a highly available shared file system with strong consistency and low latency for the /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans directories. Amazon EFS uses the NFSv4.1 protocol with lock support, enabling multiple EC2 instances to mount the same file system concurrently. The Pacemaker cluster manages the ASCS instance's virtual IP and resource failover, while EFS automatically replicates data across multiple AZs within a region, ensuring durability and availability without manual intervention.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — This question tests Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use Amazon EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configure a Pacemaker cluster across two Availability Zones — Amazon EFS provides a fully managed, highly available, and durable NFS file system that can be mounted concurrently across multiple EC2 instances in different Availability Zones. By using EFS for /sapmnt and /usr/sap/trans, and configuring a Pacemaker cluster across two AZs, you achieve automatic failover for the ASCS instance without the administrative overhead of managing a separate NFS server or replicating snapshots.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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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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. A company is migrating its SAP ERP system to AWS. The system includes an SAP Central Services (ASCS) instance and an SAP application server. Which TWO of the following are required for high availability? (Choose TWO.)
hard- A.Use an EBS Multi-Attach volume for shared /sapmnt
- ✓ B.Enqueue replication server (ERS) must be set up for the ASCS cluster
- C.Configure an Elastic Load Balancer for ASCS
- ✓ D.Set up a cluster for ASCS using AWS cluster management tools
- E.Deploy at least two application servers in different Availability Zones
Why B: Option B is correct because the Enqueue Replication Server (ERS) is a mandatory component for an SAP ASCS high-availability cluster. In a clustered ASCS setup, the ERS replicates the lock table from the active ASCS node to the standby node, ensuring that in the event of a failover, the new active ASCS instance can recover the locks without data inconsistency. Without ERS, the ASCS cluster cannot provide true high availability for the enqueue service.
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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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