The correct answer is to configure a CloudWatch alarm to detect database failure and then use a Lambda function to reassign an Elastic IP to the standby instance. This works because automated failover for SAP HANA on AWS relies on a detection-and-reassignment pattern: CloudWatch monitors the health of the primary instance, and upon detecting a failure, it triggers a Lambda function that programmatically reassociates the Elastic IP to the standby instance, redirecting traffic without manual intervention. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of custom high-availability architectures for SAP HANA, as AWS does not provide a native managed failover service for HANA like Multi-AZ RDS does. A common trap is assuming you must stop the primary instance first, but the correct design prioritizes speed and availability over cleanup. Memory tip: think “Alarm → Lambda → Elastic IP” as the three-step failover chain for HANA on AWS.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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.
Which TWO actions are required to set up automated failover for an SAP HANA database using AWS services? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an AWS Lambda function to reassign an Elastic IP address to the standby instance
Automated failover requires detecting failure and reassigning resources. CloudWatch alarms can detect database unavailability and trigger a Lambda to reassign the Elastic IP to the standby instance. Stopping the primary is unnecessary and might not be desired. Multi-AZ RDS is for non-HANA databases. EFS is not typically used for HANA failover. Snapshot restore is too slow for automated failover.
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.
✓
Create an AWS Lambda function to reassign an Elastic IP address to the standby instance
Why this is correct
Lambda can automate the IP reassignment during failover.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Configure a CloudWatch alarm to detect database failure
Why this is correct
CloudWatch alarms can trigger automated actions based on metrics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use an Amazon RDS Multi-AZ deployment for the HANA database
Why it's wrong here
RDS Multi-AZ is not supported for SAP HANA; HANA requires manual setup.
✗
Schedule a snapshot and restore on failure
Why it's wrong here
Snapshot restore is not suitable for automated failover due to time and data loss.
✗
Store HANA data on Amazon EFS and mount it on both instances
Why it's wrong here
HANA does not support EFS for its data files; it requires high-performance storage.
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
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an AWS Lambda function to reassign an Elastic IP address to the standby instance — Automated failover requires detecting failure and reassigning resources. CloudWatch alarms can detect database unavailability and trigger a Lambda to reassign the Elastic IP to the standby instance. Stopping the primary is unnecessary and might not be desired. Multi-AZ RDS is for non-HANA databases. EFS is not typically used for HANA failover. Snapshot restore is too slow for automated failover.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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
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