Optimizing Costs for Predictable EC2 Workloads
A company will run a predictable compute workload on Amazon EC2 instances for the next 3 years. The workload is critical for the company. The company wants to optimize costs to run the workload. Which solution will meet these requirements?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer C. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
Tests the ability to match workload predictability with the correct AWS pricing strategy, highlighting the trap of confusing Spot Instances with long-term commitments.
Determines the optimal pricing model for predictable Amazon EC2 workloads over a three-year period. Establishes that Savings Plans offer the best balance of cost reduction and operational flexibility compared to other options.
Selecting On-Demand Instances because they require no commitment, or Spot Instances due to lower upfront costs, ignoring the stability required for critical workloads.
Community Discussion (3 comments)
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Savings Plans are designed specifically for customers who have predictable usage patterns. By committing to a consistent amount of usage (measured in $/hour) for a 1- or 3-year term, you receive significant discounts compared to On-Demand pricing. Since the question specifies a 'predictable compute workload' lasting '3 years,' this is the ideal scenario for Savings Plans.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Spot Instances provide the deepest discounts but come with the risk of interruption when AWS needs capacity back, making them unsuitable for 'critical' workloads where availability is paramount. On-Demand Instances offer maximum flexibility but at the highest price point, failing the 'optimize costs' requirement. Dedicated Hosts are for physical server isolation compliance needs, not general cost optimization for standard compute.Community Comment Notes
The community consensus strongly supports Savings Plans as the most cost-effective option for long-term, predictable use. One user questioned why On-Demand wasn't chosen, likely overlooking the cost optimization constraint. Another user confirmed the logic by noting that Savings Plans align with the 3-year timeline mentioned in the prompt.Exam Strategy
Always look for keywords like 'predictable', 'steady-state', or specific timeframes (1 year, 3 years) to trigger the Savings Plan decision tree. If the workload is non-critical and intermittent, consider Spot Instances instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I use Spot Instances for a critical workload?
Spot Instances can be interrupted by AWS with little notice if capacity is needed elsewhere, which violates the reliability requirements of a critical workload.
What is the difference between Reserved Instances and Savings Plans?
Reserved Instances lock you into a specific instance family and region, while Savings Plans offer more flexibility across instance families, regions, and even services like Lambda.
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