Quick Answer
The answer is the x2iedn instance family, because it is purpose-built for SAP HANA scale-out configurations and provides the high network throughput needed to eliminate performance bottlenecks during peak loads. In a scale-out HANA setup, nodes rely on intensive inter-node communication for data synchronization and shared storage access, so the x2iedn’s dedicated high network bandwidth via the Elastic Network Adapter (ENA) directly addresses the throughput constraint. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that network throughput, not just compute or memory, is the critical bottleneck in scale-out deployments—a common trap is choosing a general-purpose or compute-optimized instance that lacks the necessary network capacity. Remember the mnemonic: “x2iedn for eXtreme Inter-Node Exchange and Dedicated Network,” reinforcing that high bandwidth is the key to mitigating scale-out degradation.
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 with a scale-out HANA configuration. The system is experiencing performance degradation during peak hours. Monitoring shows high network throughput on the HANA nodes. Which EC2 instance family is best suited to mitigate this?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
x2iedn instances with high network bandwidth.
x2iedn is specifically designed for SAP HANA with high network performance.
c5 instances with placement groups.
Why wrong: c5 is compute optimized, not suitable for HANA.
r5 instances with enhanced networking.
Why wrong: r5 instances have lower network bandwidth than x2iedn.
m5 instances with EBS optimization.
Why wrong: m5 is general purpose, not optimized for HANA.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
x2iedn instances with high network bandwidth.
The x2iedn instances are specifically designed for SAP HANA scale-out configurations, offering high memory per vCPU and dedicated high network bandwidth via the Elastic Network Adapter (ENA). In a scale-out HANA setup, nodes communicate intensively over the network for data synchronization and shared storage access, so high network throughput directly mitigates the performance degradation during peak hours.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
x2iedn instances with high network bandwidth.
Why this is correct
x2iedn is specifically designed for SAP HANA with high network performance.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
c5 instances with placement groups.
Why it's wrong here
c5 is compute optimized, not suitable for HANA.
r5 instances with enhanced networking.
Why it's wrong here
r5 instances have lower network bandwidth than x2iedn.
m5 instances with EBS optimization.
Why it's wrong here
m5 is general purpose, not optimized for HANA.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may assume any memory-optimized instance (like r5) is sufficient for SAP HANA, overlooking the specific network throughput and SAP certification requirements for scale-out configurations that only x2iedn instances meet.
Detailed technical explanation
SAP HANA scale-out uses a shared-nothing architecture where each node holds a portion of the data, requiring high-speed inter-node communication via TCP/IP for internal table joins and data redistribution. The x2iedn instances leverage Intel Xeon Scalable processors with up to 100 Gbps network bandwidth via ENA, and are SAP-certified for HANA scale-out, ensuring compliance with SAP's network latency and throughput requirements. In real-world scenarios, insufficient network bandwidth can cause HANA internal communication bottlenecks, leading to query timeouts and increased response times during peak loads.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — This question tests Design of SAP Workloads on AWS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: x2iedn instances with high network bandwidth. — The x2iedn instances are specifically designed for SAP HANA scale-out configurations, offering high memory per vCPU and dedicated high network bandwidth via the Elastic Network Adapter (ENA). In a scale-out HANA setup, nodes communicate intensively over the network for data synchronization and shared storage access, so high network throughput directly mitigates the performance degradation during peak hours.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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