Quick Answer
The answer is Dedicated Instances, because they run on physical hardware that is exclusively allocated to a single AWS account, which directly eliminates the noisy neighbor problem by ensuring no other customer’s virtual machines share the same underlying host. This isolation guarantees consistent low latency for critical, real-time workloads, as the instance’s CPU, memory, and network resources are not contested. On the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate SOA-C02 exam, this concept tests your understanding of EC2 placement and performance optimization—a common trap is confusing Dedicated Instances with Reserved Instances, which only offer billing discounts without any physical isolation. Remember, Dedicated Instances are for performance predictability, not cost savings. A helpful memory tip: think “Dedicated = Dedicated hardware, no neighbors.”
This SOA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cost and performance optimization. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company runs a critical application on a fleet of EC2 instances that process real-time financial transactions. The application requires consistent low latency. The SysOps administrator notices that the application's latency increases periodically due to noisy neighbors. The administrator wants to optimize performance predictability. Which instance type should the administrator choose?
Burstable Performance Instances (T3)
Why wrong: Burstable instances can experience CPU throttling.
Dedicated Instances
Dedicated Instances provide physical isolation, eliminating noisy neighbors.
Spot Instances
Why wrong: Spot Instances can be interrupted and are not reliable for critical workloads.
Reserved Instances
Why wrong: Reserved Instances offer cost savings but no performance isolation.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Dedicated Instances
Option D is correct because Dedicated Instances run on hardware dedicated to a single customer, eliminating the noisy neighbor effect. Option A is wrong because Burstable Performance Instances (T2, T3) are designed for variable workloads and do not provide consistent performance. Option B is wrong because Spot Instances are not suitable for critical, latency-sensitive applications. Option C is wrong because Reserved Instances provide a discount but do not isolate the instance from other customers.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Burstable Performance Instances (T3)
Why it's wrong here
Burstable instances can experience CPU throttling.
Dedicated Instances
Why this is correct
Dedicated Instances provide physical isolation, eliminating noisy neighbors.
Related concept
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Spot Instances
Why it's wrong here
Spot Instances can be interrupted and are not reliable for critical workloads.
Reserved Instances
Why it's wrong here
Reserved Instances offer cost savings but no performance isolation.
Common exam traps
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related SOA-C02 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Cost and Performance Optimization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Cost and Performance Optimization — This question tests Cost and Performance Optimization — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
The correct answer is: Dedicated Instances — Option D is correct because Dedicated Instances run on hardware dedicated to a single customer, eliminating the noisy neighbor effect. Option A is wrong because Burstable Performance Instances (T2, T3) are designed for variable workloads and do not provide consistent performance. Option B is wrong because Spot Instances are not suitable for critical, latency-sensitive applications. Option C is wrong because Reserved Instances provide a discount but do not isolate the instance from other customers.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related SOA-C02 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This SOA-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 SOA-C02 exam.
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