The answer is SAP HANA System Replication (HSR) with two EC2 instances in different Availability Zones. This configuration is the most cost-effective high availability solution because it meets SAP’s support requirements for a 1.5 TB database while surviving a single AZ failure by replicating data synchronously across zones, ensuring zero data loss and automatic failover. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of SAP HANA high availability across availability zones, specifically that HSR is the only SAP-supported method for HANA databases—unlike RDS Multi-AZ, which applies only to non-HANA databases. A common trap is confusing AWS-native services like Multi-AZ RDS with SAP-specific replication; remember that SAP HANA requires its own replication layer. Memory tip: For HANA, think “HSR across AZs” — if it’s not HSR, it’s not supported.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
A company is running SAP S/4HANA on AWS and needs to ensure that the system can survive a single Availability Zone failure. The SAP HANA database is 1.5 TB in size. What is the most cost-effective high availability solution that meets SAP's support requirements?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement SAP HANA System Replication (HSR) with two EC2 instances in different Availability Zones.
Option D is correct because HANA System Replication in scale-up with two nodes in different AZs is supported and cost-effective. Option A is wrong because it does not protect against AZ failure. Option B is wrong because Multi-AZ RDS is not for HANA. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ is for RDS, not HANA.
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.
✓
Implement SAP HANA System Replication (HSR) with two EC2 instances in different Availability Zones.
Why this is correct
HSR is SAP's recommended HA solution and supports automatic failover across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy SAP HANA on Amazon RDS for SAP HANA in Multi-AZ.
Why it's wrong here
Amazon RDS for SAP HANA does not exist.
✗
Use Amazon RDS Multi-AZ for the SAP HANA database.
Why it's wrong here
SAP HANA is not supported on Amazon RDS.
✗
Use a single EC2 instance with EBS snapshots taken every 5 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Snapshots do not provide automatic failover and have recovery time objectives (RTO) that may be too high.
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.
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: Implement SAP HANA System Replication (HSR) with two EC2 instances in different Availability Zones. — Option D is correct because HANA System Replication in scale-up with two nodes in different AZs is supported and cost-effective. Option A is wrong because it does not protect against AZ failure. Option B is wrong because Multi-AZ RDS is not for HANA. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ is for RDS, not HANA.
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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Question Discussion
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