- A
Amazon EFS
Why wrong: EFS is not supported for SAP HANA data files.
- B
NVMe instance store SSDs on i3en instances
Instance store is supported on certified instances.
- C
Amazon EBS gp3 volumes with sufficient IOPS
gp3 is supported if IOPS requirements are met.
- D
Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes
io2 Block Express is certified for SAP HANA.
- E
Amazon S3
Why wrong: S3 is not a block storage and not supported for HANA data.
Question 1,049 of 1,733
Supported Storage Options for SAP HANA Data Files on AWS
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of design of sap workloads on aws. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which THREE storage options are supported for SAP HANA data files on AWS? (Select THREE.)
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
✓
NVMe instance store SSDs on i3en instances
Option B is correct because i3en instances provide NVMe instance store SSDs that are directly attached to the physical server, offering very low latency and high IOPS for SAP HANA data files. These instance stores are ephemeral but are the recommended storage for SAP HANA data and log volumes when using certified instance types, as they meet the strict performance requirements for HANA's in-memory database operations.
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.
- ✗
Amazon EFS
Why it's wrong here
EFS is not supported for SAP HANA data files.
- ✓
NVMe instance store SSDs on i3en instances
Why this is correct
Instance store is supported on certified instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon EBS gp3 volumes with sufficient IOPS
Why this is correct
gp3 is supported if IOPS requirements are met.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes
Why this is correct
io2 Block Express is certified for SAP HANA.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon S3
Why it's wrong here
S3 is not a block storage and not supported for HANA data.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume any high-performance storage (like EFS or S3) can support SAP HANA, but AWS explicitly requires block storage with guaranteed low latency and IOPS, which only NVMe instance store, gp3, and io2 Block Express provide.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SAP HANA data files require storage with consistent sub-millisecond latency and high IOPS, which is why AWS recommends using NVMe instance store SSDs on i3en instances or EBS volumes like gp3 and io2 Block Express. The i3en instance stores are physically attached to the server via PCIe NVMe, eliminating network latency, while EBS gp3 volumes can provision up to 16,000 IOPS per volume and io2 Block Express can deliver up to 256,000 IOPS with sub-millisecond latency. In production, SAP HANA uses a combination of data and log volumes, and the log volume is especially sensitive to write latency, making these storage options critical for maintaining database consistency and performance.
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 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.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
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: NVMe instance store SSDs on i3en instances — Option B is correct because i3en instances provide NVMe instance store SSDs that are directly attached to the physical server, offering very low latency and high IOPS for SAP HANA data files. These instance stores are ephemeral but are the recommended storage for SAP HANA data and log volumes when using certified instance types, as they meet the strict performance requirements for HANA's in-memory database operations.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on PAS-C01
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A customer wants to migrate their SAP HANA database to AWS and needs to ensure that the EBS volumes for /hana/data and /hana/log are configured for maximum throughput and low latency. Which EBS volume type should be used for /hana/data?
easy- A.st1
- ✓ B.io2
- C.gp3
- D.sc1
Why B: For SAP HANA workloads on AWS, the /hana/data volume requires the highest level of IOPS and low latency to support real-time data processing. io2 Block Express volumes provide up to 256,000 IOPS and sub-millisecond latency, making them the correct choice for /hana/data. io2 volumes also offer 99.999% durability, which is critical for SAP HANA database consistency.
Variation 2. Which TWO of the following are valid storage options for SAP HANA data files on AWS?
easy- ✓ A.Amazon EBS gp3 volumes with sufficient IOPS
- B.Amazon S3
- ✓ C.Amazon EBS io2 Block Express volumes
- D.Instance Store volumes
- E.Amazon EFS
Why A: Amazon EBS gp3 volumes are a valid storage option for SAP HANA data files because they provide consistent baseline performance of 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s throughput, with the ability to provision additional IOPS independently of storage capacity. SAP HANA requires high IOPS and low latency for its data persistence layer, and gp3 volumes meet these requirements when configured with sufficient IOPS, making them a cost-effective choice for many HANA workloads on AWS.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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