The correct answer is to configure the S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS. This ensures that SAP HANA backup encryption at rest in S3 is applied automatically to every object written to the bucket, meeting the requirement without any additional client-side configuration. SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed AES-256 keys, while SSE-KMS provides greater control with AWS KMS customer managed keys (CMKs), both of which satisfy the “encryption at rest” mandate for backups. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of how S3 default encryption integrates with SAP HANA backup workflows, and a common trap is assuming you must enable encryption manually in the backup command or use a third-party tool. Remember the memory tip: “Default does it all”—once the bucket default is set, every backup lands encrypted, no extra steps needed.
PAS-C01 Design of SAP Workloads on AWS Practice Question
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 administrator needs to back up SAP HANA database to S3 with encryption. The backup must be encrypted at rest in S3. Which combination of actions should be taken?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS
Option C is correct because configuring an S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS ensures that backups written to S3 are automatically encrypted at rest. SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed keys with AES-256, while SSE-KMS allows you to use AWS KMS customer managed keys (CMKs) for additional control. This meets the requirement for encryption at rest in S3 without requiring additional infrastructure or manual key management.
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.
✗
Use AWS CloudHSM to generate keys and store them in S3
Why it's wrong here
CloudHSM is for key management, not directly for S3 encryption.
✗
Enable S3 Versioning and use S3-managed keys
Why it's wrong here
Versioning does not provide encryption.
✓
Configure S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS
Why this is correct
Default encryption ensures all objects are encrypted at rest.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use AWS Backup to back up to S3 with default settings
Why it's wrong here
AWS Backup does not encrypt backups unless configured.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse S3 Versioning (which protects against accidental deletion) with encryption, or assume that AWS Backup automatically enforces encryption without explicitly configuring bucket default encryption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
S3 default encryption applies automatically to all objects written to the bucket, using either SSE-S3 (AES-256) or SSE-KMS (envelope encryption with a CMK). For SAP HANA backups, using SSE-KMS is often preferred because it provides audit trails via AWS CloudTrail and allows key rotation policies. Note that if you use SSE-KMS, you must ensure the KMS key policy grants the backup process (e.g., the SAP HANA user or AWS Backup role) permission to encrypt and decrypt, otherwise backups may fail.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Configure S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS — Option C is correct because configuring an S3 bucket with default encryption using SSE-S3 or SSE-KMS ensures that backups written to S3 are automatically encrypted at rest. SSE-S3 uses Amazon-managed keys with AES-256, while SSE-KMS allows you to use AWS KMS customer managed keys (CMKs) for additional control. This meets the requirement for encryption at rest in S3 without requiring additional infrastructure or manual key management.
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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Question Discussion
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