- A
Review Amazon CloudWatch metrics for HANA memory usage.
Why wrong: CloudWatch shows actual usage, not the configured limit.
- B
Run the SQL statement 'SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY' and compare with 'SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'.'
This shows effective allocation limit and actual usage.
- C
Check the output of 'free -g' command on the EC2 instance.
Why wrong: This shows OS-level memory, not HANA limit.
- D
Check the 'global_allocation_limit' parameter in the global.ini file.
Why wrong: This shows the configured limit but not the effective limit after OS memory reservation.
Question 694 of 1,733
How to Configure SAP HANA Memory Limit with global_allocation_limit
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.
An SAP system administrator is troubleshooting an issue where the SAP HANA database is using more memory than expected on an Amazon EC2 instance. The instance type is an x1e.32xlarge with 3,904 GB of RAM. The HANA global.ini file includes the parameter 'memorymanager = global'. The administrator suspects that the HANA memory limit is not set correctly. What should the administrator check to confirm the memory limit?
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
✓
Run the SQL statement 'SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY' and compare with 'SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'.'
Option B is correct because when `memorymanager = global` is set in HANA, the effective memory limit is determined by the `global_allocation_limit` parameter in the `global.ini` file, not by the OS-level memory. Running `SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY` shows actual per-service memory usage, while `SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'` retrieves the configured limit. Comparing these two values directly confirms whether the memory limit is set correctly and if HANA is respecting it.
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.
- ✗
Review Amazon CloudWatch metrics for HANA memory usage.
Why it's wrong here
CloudWatch shows actual usage, not the configured limit.
- ✓
Run the SQL statement 'SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY' and compare with 'SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'.'
Why this is correct
This shows effective allocation limit and actual usage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Check the output of 'free -g' command on the EC2 instance.
Why it's wrong here
This shows OS-level memory, not HANA limit.
- ✗
Check the 'global_allocation_limit' parameter in the global.ini file.
Why it's wrong here
This shows the configured limit but not the effective limit after OS memory reservation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume checking the `global.ini` file directly (Option D) is sufficient, but the exam tests whether you know that the active in-memory configuration must be queried via system views like `M_INIFILE` to confirm the actual enforced limit, especially when `memorymanager = global` is used.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
CloudWatch shows actual usage, not the configured limit.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, when `memorymanager = global` is set, HANA uses a single global memory allocator that pools memory across all services, and the `global_allocation_limit` (in MB) defines the hard cap for this pool. A real-world scenario is when an administrator sets the limit in `global.ini` but forgets to restart HANA, causing the in-memory configuration to differ from the file; querying `M_INIFILE` with `LAYER_NAME = 'SYSTEM'` reveals the active value. Additionally, if the limit is set too low, HANA may throttle or reject new allocations, leading to performance degradation or errors like 'Allocation failed'.
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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
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: Run the SQL statement 'SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY' and compare with 'SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'.' — Option B is correct because when `memorymanager = global` is set in HANA, the effective memory limit is determined by the `global_allocation_limit` parameter in the `global.ini` file, not by the OS-level memory. Running `SELECT * FROM M_SERVICE_MEMORY` shows actual per-service memory usage, while `SELECT VALUE FROM M_INIFILE WHERE KEY='global_allocation_limit'` retrieves the configured limit. Comparing these two values directly confirms whether the memory limit is set correctly and if HANA is respecting it.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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