Question 1hardmulti select
Full question →hardmulti selectObjective-mapped
A development environment runs a small web app on EC2 and an Amazon RDS database, but it is used only on weekdays during office hours. The team wants to minimize spend and can tolerate a short startup delay after the environment is started. Which two changes should the architect recommend? Select two.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Stop the EC2 instances outside business hours and start them on a schedule.
Scheduled stop and start removes idle compute spend from nights and weekends while preserving the same application architecture.
B
Best answer
Replace the database with Aurora Serverless v2 so capacity can scale down during idle periods.
Aurora Serverless v2 is well suited to variable or partially idle database workloads because it scales capacity more flexibly.
C
Distractor review
Move the app to larger EC2 instances so fewer machines are managed.
Larger instances usually increase cost and do not solve the core problem of paying for resources that sit unused.
D
Distractor review
Keep RDS and EC2 running all weekend because start/stop is operationally risky.
The scenario explicitly allows a short startup delay, so leaving everything on defeats the main cost-saving opportunity.
E
Distractor review
Use Spot Instances for the database tier.
Spot is unsuitable for a database because interruption can cause availability and data consistency issues.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAA-C03 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Stop the EC2 instances outside business hours and start them on a schedule. — For a weekday-only environment, scheduled stopping of EC2 instances prevents unnecessary spend during known idle periods. Aurora Serverless v2 reduces database cost by allowing capacity to scale down when the environment is quiet, which is exactly the kind of managed-service tradeoff this scenario calls for. Since the team can tolerate startup delay, both changes deliver meaningful savings without redesigning the application heavily. Why others are wrong: Making instances larger does not reduce idle spend. Keeping the environment fully running ignores the known off-hours savings opportunity. Spot Instances are risky for a database tier because interruption can affect availability and recovery behavior.
What should I do if I get this SAA-C03 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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