SAP-C02 Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions Practice Question
A company is running a batch processing job on an EC2 instance that processes data from an S3 bucket and writes results to another S3 bucket. The job runs once per hour and takes about 20 minutes. The company wants to optimize costs by only paying for compute time when the job is running. Which solution is MOST cost-effective?
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
✓
Use AWS Batch with spot instances to run the job only when needed.
AWS Batch automatically provisions and terminates EC2 instances based on job queue requirements, and it can use Spot Instances for significant cost savings. Option A (AWS Lambda) is wrong because the batch job takes 20 minutes, exceeding the 15-minute maximum execution time for Lambda functions. Option B (Reserved Instance) is wrong because it requires a 1-year commitment and still incurs costs for idle hours when the job is not running. Option C (t3.micro running 24/7) is wrong because while it is low-cost, it still charges for idle time, making it less cost-effective than only paying for compute during job execution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Convert the batch job into an AWS Lambda function.
Why it's wrong here
Lambda has 15-minute max execution.
- ✗
Purchase a Reserved Instance for the EC2 instance to reduce hourly cost.
Why it's wrong here
Requires commitment, still pays when idle.
- ✗
Use a t3.micro instance and keep it running 24/7 since it's low cost.
Why it's wrong here
Wastes money when idle.
- ✓
Use AWS Batch with spot instances to run the job only when needed.
Why this is correct
Pay only for compute time, spot reduces cost.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SAP-C02 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 SAP-C02 exam.