SAP HANA EBS Volume Type – io2 for High Performance
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?
Quick Answer
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.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume increasing volume size (Option B) or enabling EBS optimization (Option D) will solve throughput issues, but they overlook that gp2's burst model is fundamentally unsuitable for sustained SAP HANA write workloads, whereas io2 with provisioned IOPS directly guarantees performance.
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
✓
Change the volume type to io2 and provision 6000 IOPS.
The AWS CLI command output shows the volume is a gp2 volume with a size of 500 GB. gp2 volumes provide a baseline IOPS of 3 per GB, so this volume has 1,500 baseline IOPS. For SAP HANA workloads requiring high write throughput, gp2's burst model is insufficient. Changing to io2 Block Express with provisioned 6000 IOPS delivers consistent, high-performance IOPS needed for sustained write operations, directly addressing the low write throughput issue.
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.
- ✗
Enable EBS optimization on the attached instance.
Why it's wrong here
The instance may already be EBS-optimized.
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Same concept, more angles
2 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. 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: The io2 Block Express volume type provides up to 256,000 provisioned IOPS and sub-millisecond latency, which directly addresses high I/O wait times caused by insufficient IOPS on the EBS volume hosting /usr/sap. SAP application servers are sensitive to storage latency, and increasing provisioned IOPS reduces queue depth and wait times for database and log writes.
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.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.