The correct action is to change the volume type to io2 and provision 6000 IOPS. This directly addresses the low write throughput because the current gp2 volume, at 500 GB, is limited to a baseline of only 1500 IOPS (3 IOPS per GB), which is insufficient for SAP HANA’s demanding write workloads. The io2 volume type allows you to provision a much higher, consistent IOPS level independently of storage size, making it the most effective performance fix. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of EBS volume types and their IOPS characteristics—a common trap is assuming increasing volume size alone will solve throughput issues, but gp2’s IOPS scaling is linear and capped, whereas io2 provides dedicated, predictable performance. Remember the memory tip: “gp2 grows with GB, but io2 is independent IOPS”—for HANA, always choose io2 for high-performance throughput.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
Network Topology
An SAP HANA administrator runs the AWS CLI command shown in the exhibit. The volume is attached to an SAP HANA server. The HANA database is experiencing low write throughput. Which action would most likely improve performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change the volume type to io2 and provision 6000 IOPS.
Option B is correct: gp2 volumes have baseline IOPS of 3 per GB, so a 500 GB volume has 1500 IOPS. Changing to io2 allows provisioning higher IOPS. Option A is wrong because increasing size increases baseline IOPS but not as effectively as io2. Option C is wrong because the volume is already in use. Option D is wrong because optimizing the instance is not the issue.
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.
✗
Detach the volume and reattach it to a different instance.
Why it's wrong here
Reattaching does not improve performance.
✗
Increase the volume size to 1 TB to double the baseline IOPS.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing size increases IOPS but may not be cost-effective.
✓
Change the volume type to io2 and provision 6000 IOPS.
Why this is correct
io2 provides consistent high IOPS.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable EBS optimization on the attached instance.
Why it's wrong here
The instance may already be EBS-optimized.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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.
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the volume type to io2 and provision 6000 IOPS. — Option B is correct: gp2 volumes have baseline IOPS of 3 per GB, so a 500 GB volume has 1500 IOPS. Changing to io2 allows provisioning higher IOPS. Option A is wrong because increasing size increases baseline IOPS but not as effectively as io2. Option C is wrong because the volume is already in use. Option D is wrong because optimizing the instance is not the issue.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 →
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. An SAP system administrator is troubleshooting a performance issue on an SAP application server running on an EC2 instance. The /usr/sap directory is on an EBS volume. The administrator notices high I/O wait times. Which action should be taken to improve I/O performance?
hard
A.Migrate the /usr/sap directory to Amazon EFS
B.Move the /usr/sap directory to an instance store volume
✓ C.Change the EBS volume type to io2 Block Express with provisioned IOPS
D.Increase the instance size to a larger instance type
Why C: Changing the EBS volume type to io2 with provisioned IOPS can improve I/O performance for high-throughput workloads. Increasing instance size may not address I/O specifically. Moving to instance store provides high IOPS but data is ephemeral. Converting to EFS may introduce network latency.
Variation 2. Refer to the exhibit. An SAP administrator checks the configuration of an EBS volume. The volume is attached to an SAP HANA instance. What is the potential performance bottleneck?
medium
✓ A.The IOPS and throughput are too low for SAP HANA
B.The volume is attached to an instance in a different Availability Zone
C.The DeleteOnTermination flag is set to false
D.The volume is not encrypted
Why A: The volume type is gp3 with 3000 IOPS and 125 MB/s throughput. SAP HANA requires high IOPS and throughput. With only 3000 IOPS and 125 MB/s, this volume may be a bottleneck for production HANA workloads. The DeleteOnTermination setting is not a performance issue. The size and snapshot are not immediate concerns.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.