The answer is that cost is a key factor, as io2 Block Express volumes have a higher per-GB price than gp3, but this trade-off is justified by the massive IOPS ceiling of 256,000 per volume versus gp3’s 16,000 limit. For a 10 TB SAP HANA database suffering high disk I/O, io2 Block Express eliminates throttling by delivering the sustained, low-latency performance that HANA’s column-store engine demands during heavy data loads and batch processing. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance performance requirements against cost when migrating SAP HANA storage from gp3 to io2 Block Express, often appearing as a multi-select question where candidates mistakenly focus only on IOPS or throughput while overlooking the pricing implications. A common trap is assuming gp3 can match io2 for bursty workloads, but gp3’s burst credits deplete quickly under sustained pressure. Remember the mnemonic “IO2 Costs More, But Never Stalls” to recall that higher cost buys unlimited peak IOPS for HANA.
PAS-C01 Design of SAP Workloads on AWS Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. 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 runs SAP S/4HANA on AWS with a large HANA database (10 TB). The database uses EBS gp3 volumes. The system experiences performance degradation due to high disk I/O. The architect decides to migrate to EBS io2 Block Express volumes. Which THREE factors should the architect consider when planning the migration?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The maximum IOPS per volume supported by io2 Block Express is 256,000.
Option A is correct because io2 Block Express volumes support a maximum IOPS of 256,000 per volume, which is significantly higher than the 16,000 IOPS limit of gp3. This high IOPS capability is critical for large SAP HANA databases (10 TB) that experience performance degradation due to high disk I/O, as it allows the database to handle bursty workloads without throttling.
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.
✓
The maximum IOPS per volume supported by io2 Block Express is 256,000.
Why this is correct
High IOPS per volume is a key benefit for large HANA systems.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
SAP HANA supports RAID 0 across multiple io2 volumes without additional software.
Why it's wrong here
HANA requires LVM or similar for striping; RAID 0 is not directly supported.
✗
io2 Block Express volumes can be attached to multiple EC2 instances simultaneously using EBS Multi-Attach.
Why it's wrong here
io2 Block Express does not support Multi-Attach.
✓
To achieve the required throughput, multiple io2 volumes should be striped using LVM.
Why this is correct
Striping multiple volumes increases performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
The cost of io2 Block Express volumes is higher than gp3 volumes on a per-GB basis.
Why this is correct
Cost is a consideration when migrating to higher performance storage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse io2 Block Express with standard io2 volumes, assuming Multi-Attach is supported, or incorrectly believe SAP HANA natively supports RAID 0 without additional volume management tools.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
HANA requires LVM or similar for striping; RAID 0 is not directly supported.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
io2 Block Express volumes use a Nitro-based architecture that delivers up to 256,000 IOPS and 4,000 MB/s throughput per volume, with sub-millisecond latency. For SAP HANA, striping multiple io2 volumes using LVM is a common practice to aggregate throughput and IOPS, as HANA's data volume (e.g., /hana/data) often requires higher throughput than a single volume can provide. The cost premium of io2 Block Express over gp3 is justified by its consistent performance and 99.999% durability, which is critical for production SAP workloads.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — This question tests Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The maximum IOPS per volume supported by io2 Block Express is 256,000. — Option A is correct because io2 Block Express volumes support a maximum IOPS of 256,000 per volume, which is significantly higher than the 16,000 IOPS limit of gp3. This high IOPS capability is critical for large SAP HANA databases (10 TB) that experience performance degradation due to high disk I/O, as it allows the database to handle bursty workloads without throttling.
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.
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 →
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.