The correct actions are configuring a standby host in a different Availability Zone with HANA system replication and enabling automated EBS snapshots for the HANA data volumes. HANA system replication continuously synchronizes data to a standby instance in another AZ, allowing automatic failover if the primary fails, while automated EBS snapshots provide point-in-time recovery for data integrity. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding that high availability for single-instance SAP HANA on EC2 requires both cross-AZ replication and backup-based recovery, not simply resizing the instance or using RDS. A common trap is confusing Multi-AZ RDS with EC2-based HANA—RDS is a managed service, not for self-managed HANA. Memory tip: think “replicate across AZs, snapshot for safety” to remember the two distinct layers of protection.
PAS-C01 Operations and Maintenance Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of operations and maintenance. 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 TWO actions should be taken to improve the high availability of a single-instance SAP HANA database running on EC2? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set up HANA System Replication to a second EC2 instance in a different Availability Zone.
Options B and D are correct. Option B creates a standby instance in another AZ using replication. Option D creates automated snapshots for point-in-time recovery. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size does not improve availability. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ RDS is for RDS, not EC2-based HANA. Option E is wrong because Amazon FSx does not replace the database.
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.
✓
Set up HANA System Replication to a second EC2 instance in a different Availability Zone.
Why this is correct
HANA System Replication provides automatic failover across AZs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Multi-AZ on the RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
RDS Multi-AZ is for RDS, not EC2 HANA.
✗
Move the HANA data files to Amazon FSx for Lustre.
Why it's wrong here
FSx does not provide high availability for HANA.
✗
Increase the instance size to a larger type.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling up does not provide redundancy.
✓
Configure automated EBS snapshots for the HANA data volumes.
Why this is correct
Automated snapshots enable recovery from failures.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Operations and Maintenance — This question tests Operations and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set up HANA System Replication to a second EC2 instance in a different Availability Zone. — Options B and D are correct. Option B creates a standby instance in another AZ using replication. Option D creates automated snapshots for point-in-time recovery. Option A is wrong because increasing instance size does not improve availability. Option C is wrong because Multi-AZ RDS is for RDS, not EC2-based HANA. Option E is wrong because Amazon FSx does not replace the database.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which PAS-C01 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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
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