Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
AWS Cost Explorer summary: Baseline web tier: 8 instances running 24/7, average utilization 35%-45% Nightly batch tier: 4 instances from 22:00-04:00 UTC Batch logs: 22:14 UTC: Spot interruption notice received 22:14 UTC: checkpoint saved to S3 22:17 UTC: job resumed on new instance Architecture notes: Batch jobs are restartable and tolerate interruption Operations wants freedom to switch instance families if needed
Based on the exhibit, the team wants to minimize compute cost for a workload with a steady 24/7 baseline and a separate nightly batch job that can be interrupted and resumed from checkpoints. They also expect to change EC2 instance families during the year as performance needs evolve. Which approach is the best fit?
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
Distractor review
Buy EC2 Instance Savings Plans for the baseline and run the nightly batch on On-Demand instances.
Instance Savings Plans are flexible, but On-Demand batch instances waste money when the jobs explicitly tolerate interruption. This option does not fully exploit the restartable nature of the batch workload.
B
Best answer
Use a Compute Savings Plan to cover the steady baseline and run the nightly batch on Spot Instances.
A Compute Savings Plan provides discount coverage while preserving flexibility across EC2 families and even other compute services. That makes it ideal for the steady baseline when future family changes are expected. Spot Instances are the lowest-cost choice for the restartable batch tier because interruptions are acceptable and checkpointing is already in place.
C
Distractor review
Purchase Standard Reserved Instances for all 12 instances and keep the current families fixed.
Reserved Instances can reduce cost, but they lock you into more specific EC2 characteristics. They are less flexible than a Compute Savings Plan and do not take advantage of Spot savings for interruption-tolerant batch work.
D
Distractor review
Run both tiers entirely on Spot Instances and rely on automatic restarts for the baseline web tier.
Spot can be cost-effective for interruptible batch jobs, but it is a poor choice for the 24/7 baseline web tier because capacity interruptions would affect availability and user experience. The baseline needs stable capacity.
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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Question 2
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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: Use a Compute Savings Plan to cover the steady baseline and run the nightly batch on Spot Instances. — The correct strategy is to use a Compute Savings Plan for the steady baseline and Spot Instances for the nightly batch. The Savings Plan gives discounted pricing without locking the team into one EC2 family, which matches the requirement to change families over time. Spot is the cheapest compute option for workloads that can tolerate interruption, and the exhibit shows the batch already checkpoints and resumes successfully. Instance Savings Plans are more restrictive than Compute Savings Plans and do not offer the same flexibility across compute types or future architecture changes. Standard Reserved Instances are also less flexible and do not help with the interruptible batch job. Running the baseline on Spot is risky because the steady web tier needs predictable capacity and availability.
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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