AWS Certified Security – SpecialtyDomain 3: Infrastructure SecurityMedium
A client is building a highly confidential application on AWS that processes Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and requires strict compliance with regulatory frameworks. The application will run on Amazon EC2 instances. Due to licensing constraints for specific software, the client needs to use existing server-bound licenses and requires assurance that their instances are physically isolated at the host hardware level. Which EC2 purchasing option should the client choose to meet these requirements?
- AOn-Demand Instances
- BSpot Instances
- CDedicated Hosts
- DReserved Instances
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Dedicated Hosts
Dedicated Hosts provide physical server isolation and allow customers to use their existing server-bound software licenses. This option ensures that only the customer's instances run on that specific physical server, addressing both the licensing and strict isolation requirements for PII and compliance.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. On-Demand Instances run on shared tenancy by default and do not guarantee physical isolation or support existing server-bound licenses.
- B. Spot Instances are for fault-tolerant workloads, run on shared tenancy, and do not offer physical isolation or license portability.
- D. Reserved Instances are a billing discount for On-Demand or Dedicated Instances/Hosts. They do not inherently provide physical isolation or support specific licensing models without being applied to Dedicated Hosts.
EC2 Dedicated Hosts
An Amazon EC2 Dedicated Host is a physical server with EC2 instance capacity fully dedicated to your use. It allows you to use your existing server-bound software licenses and provides physical isolation for stricter compliance and security requirements.
- Provides physical server isolation for EC2 instances.
- Supports existing server-bound software licenses.
- Offers visibility into sockets and physical cores.
- More expensive than other EC2 options due to dedicated hardware.
Memory trick: A 'Dedicated Host' is like having your own private server room in the cloud.