AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)Cloud Technology and ServicesMedium
A startup runs a batch image-rendering job that can tolerate interruptions and needs to run only when compute is cheapest. Which EC2 purchasing option is BEST suited for this workload?
- ADedicated Hosts
- BReserved Instances
- COn-Demand Instances
- DSpot Instances
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Spot Instances
Spot Instances offer up to 90% discount off On-Demand pricing by using spare AWS capacity, but AWS can reclaim them with short notice, making them ideal for fault-tolerant, interruptible batch workloads like image rendering.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Dedicated Hosts are for licensing/compliance needs and are the most expensive option.
- B. Reserved Instances require a 1- or 3-year commitment and suit steady-state workloads, not sporadic batch jobs.
- C. On-Demand costs more and is meant for unpredictable, non-interruptible workloads.
EC2 Spot Instances
Spare EC2 capacity offered at up to 90% discount, subject to interruption with a two-minute warning.
- Best for fault-tolerant, flexible workloads
- Can be reclaimed by AWS with short notice
- Cheapest EC2 pricing model available
Memory trick: Spot = Save big, but Stop anytime