- A
Use Amazon S3 cross-region replication to copy database backups every 15 minutes.
Why wrong: Restoring from S3 would take longer than 2 hours.
- B
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for ongoing replication to a HANA instance in us-west-2.
Why wrong: DMS is not optimized for HANA replication.
- C
Take EBS snapshots of the data volume every 15 minutes and copy them to us-west-2.
Why wrong: Snapshots every 15 minutes may not be feasible and restore time is high.
- D
Configure HANA System Replication in async mode between the primary and DR instances over AWS Direct Connect.
Async replication meets RPO and RTO with fast takeover.
Question 654 of 1,733
SAP HANA Disaster Recovery with Low RPO and RTO on AWS
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. 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.
A company runs SAP on AWS and needs to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 2 hours. The primary site is in us-east-1 and the DR site in us-west-2. The SAP HANA database is 5 TB. Which approach meets these requirements cost-effectively?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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 HANA System Replication in async mode between the primary and DR instances over AWS Direct Connect.
Option D (HANA System Replication with async mode over AWS Direct Connect) is correct because it enables continuous data replication with a low RPO (asynchronous replication can be sub-minute), and the RTO can be within 2 hours by failing over to the DR instance. It is cost-effective as it uses existing HANA licenses and compute/storage resources. Option A (S3 cross-region replication of backups) may achieve the RPO, but restoring from backups typically exceeds the 2-hour RTO. Option B (AWS DMS) is not designed for SAP HANA replication; it is intended for homogeneous or heterogeneous database migrations. Option C (EBS snapshots every 15 minutes) may not consistently meet the RPO due to snapshot creation time and the time required to copy snapshots across regions, and RTO is high because the volume must be created and attached before recovery.
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 Amazon S3 cross-region replication to copy database backups every 15 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Restoring from S3 would take longer than 2 hours.
- ✗
Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for ongoing replication to a HANA instance in us-west-2.
Why it's wrong here
DMS is not optimized for HANA replication.
- ✗
Take EBS snapshots of the data volume every 15 minutes and copy them to us-west-2.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots every 15 minutes may not be feasible and restore time is high.
- ✓
Configure HANA System Replication in async mode between the primary and DR instances over AWS Direct Connect.
Why this is correct
Async replication meets RPO and RTO with fast takeover.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" 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
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
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
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.
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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 — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure HANA System Replication in async mode between the primary and DR instances over AWS Direct Connect. — Option D (HANA System Replication with async mode over AWS Direct Connect) is correct because it enables continuous data replication with a low RPO (asynchronous replication can be sub-minute), and the RTO can be within 2 hours by failing over to the DR instance. It is cost-effective as it uses existing HANA licenses and compute/storage resources. Option A (S3 cross-region replication of backups) may achieve the RPO, but restoring from backups typically exceeds the 2-hour RTO. Option B (AWS DMS) is not designed for SAP HANA replication; it is intended for homogeneous or heterogeneous database migrations. Option C (EBS snapshots every 15 minutes) may not consistently meet the RPO due to snapshot creation time and the time required to copy snapshots across regions, and RTO is high because the volume must be created and attached before recovery.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
5 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 runs SAP on AWS and needs to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy. The primary site is in us-east-1, and the DR site is in us-west-2. The database is SAP HANA. Which approach provides the lowest RPO?
medium- A.SAP HANA system replication in asynchronous mode.
- B.Database backups to S3 and cross-region replication of S3 bucket.
- C.EBS snapshots replicated to the DR region using cross-region snapshot copy.
- ✓ D.SAP HANA system replication in synchronous mode across regions.
Why D: Option D is correct because SAP HANA system replication in synchronous mode across regions provides near-zero RPO (Recovery Point Objective) as data is replicated synchronously to the DR region, ensuring minimal data loss. Option A (asynchronous mode) may have higher RPO due to potential data loss in case of failover. Options B and C (backups to S3 with cross-region replication and EBS snapshots) have significantly higher RPO as they are point-in-time backups, not real-time replication.
Variation 2. A company runs SAP on AWS and needs to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy that meets a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes and a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 2 hours. The DR region must have the SAP application stack ready but the database can be replayed from backups. Which TWO actions should be taken to meet these requirements? (Choose two.)
medium- A.Use a single-region Multi-AZ deployment for the database.
- B.Use S3 cross-region replication for the application log files.
- ✓ C.Set up a cross-region read replica for the Aurora PostgreSQL database.
- D.Take daily snapshots of the database and copy them to the DR region.
- ✓ E.Pre-provision EC2 instances with the SAP application stack in the DR region.
Why C: Options C and E are correct. A cross-region read replica for Aurora PostgreSQL provides near-real-time replication, meeting the 15-minute RPO. Pre-provisioning EC2 instances with the SAP application stack in the DR region reduces RTO to within 2 hours. Option A (single-region Multi-AZ) does not provide DR across regions. Option B (S3 cross-region replication for logs) is not sufficient for database recovery. Option D (daily snapshots copied to DR) would exceed the 15-minute RPO.
Variation 3. A company runs SAP on AWS and needs to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 2 hours. Which TWO actions should they take?
medium- ✓ A.Set up SAP HANA System Replication to another AWS region.
- B.Implement a Pilot Light strategy using EC2 instances in standby.
- ✓ C.Use AWS CloudFormation to automate infrastructure deployment in the DR region.
- D.Use AWS Backup to schedule backups every 15 minutes.
- E.Take EBS snapshots every 15 minutes.
Why A: To achieve an RPO of 15 minutes and RTO of 2 hours, the company should use SAP HANA System Replication to replicate data to another AWS region (Option A), which provides near-real-time replication meeting the RPO. Additionally, using AWS CloudFormation to automate infrastructure deployment in the DR region (Option C) enables rapid provisioning of the DR environment, meeting the RTO. Option B (Pilot Light with EC2 standby) may not meet the RTO if manual steps are required. Option D (AWS Backup with 15-minute schedules) is not suitable for SAP HANA databases and may not meet RTO. Option E (EBS snapshots every 15 minutes) is not feasible due to performance impact and recovery time.
Variation 4. A company runs SAP on AWS and wants to implement a disaster recovery solution with a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 4 hours and a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes. The primary site is in us-east-1, and the DR site is in us-west-2. Which strategy meets these requirements for SAP HANA database?
hard- A.Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for ongoing replication
- B.Take EBS snapshots every 15 minutes and copy them to us-west-2
- C.Use Amazon S3 Cross-Region Replication for HANA data files
- ✓ D.Configure SAP HANA System Replication across regions
Why D: Option D is correct because HANA System Replication with log shipping can achieve RPO of minutes and RTO within hours. Option A is incorrect because EBS snapshots cannot achieve 15-minute RPO. Option B is incorrect because S3 cross-region replication is for files, not live HANA replication. Option C is incorrect because DMS is for heterogeneous migrations, not real-time HANA replication.
Variation 5. A company runs an SAP system on AWS and wants to implement a disaster recovery (DR) strategy that provides a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 2 hours and a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 15 minutes. The primary site is in us-east-1 and the DR site is in us-west-2. Which approach meets these requirements?
hard- A.Use Amazon EBS cross-Region replication for all volumes
- B.Use AWS Backup to copy snapshots to the DR region every 15 minutes
- ✓ C.Configure SAP HANA system replication to the DR region and use automatic failover
- D.Take daily backups of the SAP HANA database and store in S3, then restore in us-west-2
Why C: Option C is correct because configuring SAP HANA system replication to the DR region with automatic failover provides an RTO of less than 2 hours and an RPO of 15 minutes or less. Option A is incorrect because Amazon EBS cross-Region replication does not exist for EBS volumes; snapshots must be copied manually or via AWS Backup, and the RPO would be higher. Option B is incorrect because AWS Backup can copy snapshots, but the minimum backup frequency is hourly (not every 15 minutes), and restoring from snapshots would exceed the RTO. Option D is incorrect because daily backups to S3 have an RPO of 24 hours, which exceeds the required 15 minutes.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
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