MLA-C01 ML Model Development Practice Question
A machine learning engineer wants to reduce training costs by using excess EC2 capacity. Which instance purchasing option should they choose for SageMaker training jobs?
⚠ Common exam trap
MLA-C01 often tests the confusion between Reserved Instances (commitment discount for steady workloads) and Spot Instances (discount for interruptible workloads) — candidates pick Reserved because it sounds 'cheaper' without considering the interruptibility requirement.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Spot Instances
Spot Instances use AWS's spare EC2 capacity and are discounted up to 90% versus On-Demand, making them the correct choice when the workload is interruptible. SageMaker training jobs support Managed Spot Training, which automatically checkpoints and resumes jobs when capacity is reclaimed, so the engineer gets the cost savings without losing training progress. Reserved Instances and Dedicated Instances do not offer the same spot-level discount for interruptible training.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Reserved Instances
Why it's wrong here
Reserved Instances require a one- or three-year commitment to a specific instance family in exchange for a discount, which does not draw on excess spare capacity. They suit steady, predictable long-term workloads, not the flexible spot-style capacity described.
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On-Demand Instances
Why it's wrong here
On-Demand Instances bill at full hourly rates with no interruption, so they deliver no saving from excess capacity. They are correct for short, unpredictable jobs that cannot tolerate interruption. SageMaker training jobs that checkpoint and can restart should use Spot or Managed Spot Training instead.
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Dedicated Instances
Why it's wrong here
Dedicated Instances provide physical isolation on single-tenant hardware, but they bill at an on-demand premium and never draw on spare capacity pools, so training costs rise rather than fall. They suit compliance regimes demanding hardware isolation. Spot Instances, by contrast, tap unused EC2 capacity at steep discounts for interruptible SageMaker training jobs.
- ✓
Spot Instances
Why this is correct
Spot Instances use spare EC2 capacity at steep discounts, directly satisfying the cost-reduction constraint. SageMaker training jobs support managed spot training with checkpointing, so interrupted instances resume rather than restart. This suits fault-tolerant training workloads, unlike On-Demand or Reserved capacity, which bill for continuity regardless of interruption tolerance.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
This MLA-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 MLA-C01 exam.