The answer is to use IAM roles for EC2 instances and security groups as virtual firewalls for securing SAP on AWS. IAM roles eliminate the need for long-term credentials by granting temporary, least-privilege permissions to EC2 instances, while security groups act as stateful virtual firewalls that control inbound and outbound traffic at the instance level. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this topic tests your understanding of the shared responsibility model and how to apply AWS-native controls to protect SAP workloads. A common trap is confusing security groups with network ACLs or assuming public subnets are acceptable for SAP—they are not, as they expose instances to the internet. Another trap is thinking SSH key pairs provide security group functionality, but they only govern instance access. Memory tip: think “IAM for identity, SG for traffic” to pair the two best practices correctly.
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. 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.
Which TWO are best practices for securing SAP on AWS?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use security groups to control traffic between SAP components.
Option B is correct: Security groups act as virtual firewalls. Option D is correct: IAM roles for EC2 provide secure credential management. Option A is wrong because default VPC is not recommended. Option C is wrong because public subnets expose instances. Option E is wrong because SSH key pair is for instance access, not security group.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Place all SAP systems in the default VPC.
Why it's wrong here
Default VPC is not recommended for production.
✗
Attach public IP addresses to all SAP EC2 instances for easy management.
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PAS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Technology — This question tests Technology — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use security groups to control traffic between SAP components. — Option B is correct: Security groups act as virtual firewalls. Option D is correct: IAM roles for EC2 provide secure credential management. Option A is wrong because default VPC is not recommended. Option C is wrong because public subnets expose instances. Option E is wrong because SSH key pair is for instance access, not security group.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related PAS-C01 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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Question Discussion
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