Verify SAP License Compliance with Certified EC2 Instances
A company is migrating its SAP environment to AWS and needs to ensure that the SAP license compliance is maintained. What should the company do to verify that the EC2 instances used for SAP are properly licensed?
Quick Answer
The answer is to use EC2 instance types listed in the SAP Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory. This is correct because SAP license compliance on AWS hinges on running workloads only on hardware that SAP has explicitly certified and published in its official directory; AWS provides a specific list of certified EC2 instances for SAP HANA and NetWeaver, and using any instance outside this list violates SAP’s licensing terms, regardless of whether you bring your own license. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that verification is a separate step from license management—a common trap is confusing AWS License Manager (which tracks usage) or AWS Config (which monitors configuration) with the actual certification check. The key memory tip is “Directory first, license second”—always verify the instance type against the SAP Hardware Directory before worrying about BYOL or tracking tools.
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
✓
Use EC2 instance types listed in the SAP Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory
To maintain SAP license compliance, the company must use EC2 instance types that are listed in the SAP Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory. This directory provides the list of AWS instance types that are officially certified for SAP and have the appropriate licensing support. Option D is correct. Option A (AWS License Manager) can enforce license limits but does not verify if the instance types are SAP-certified. Option B (BYOL) is a licensing model, not a verification method. Option C (AWS Config) can track instance configurations but does not verify SAP certification or licensing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use AWS License Manager to enforce license limits
Why it's wrong here
AWS License Manager helps enforce license limits but does not verify that the EC2 instance types are SAP-certified.
- ✗
Use only bring-your-own-license (BYOL) instances
Why it's wrong here
Bring-your-own-license (BYOL) is a licensing model; it does not verify that the instance type is properly licensed for SAP.
- ✗
Use AWS Config rules to check instance types
Why it's wrong here
AWS Config can track configuration changes but cannot verify SAP certification or license compliance.
- ✓
Use EC2 instance types listed in the SAP Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory
Why this is correct
The SAP Certified and Supported SAP HANA Hardware Directory lists EC2 instance types that are certified for SAP, ensuring proper licensing.
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Variation 1. A company is migrating a SAP system to AWS and needs to ensure that the SAP license is compliant. The current license is based on the number of users. What is the correct approach for SAP licensing on AWS?
medium- A.Purchase a SAP license through AWS Marketplace that is included in the EC2 instance cost.
- B.Use AWS License Manager to track the number of vCPUs and report to SAP.
- ✓ C.Bring your own SAP license to AWS and ensure compliance with the user-based metric.
- D.Use AWS License Manager to convert the user-based license to a processor-based license.
Why C: SAP licensing on AWS follows the same model as on-premises; the customer must license the SAP software based on users or engine size. Option A is wrong because AWS does not offer bring-your-own-license for all SAP products, but it is allowed. Option B is wrong because AWS does not include SAP licenses. Option D is wrong because AWS does not provide SAP licenses.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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