- A
Dedicated hosts
Why wrong: Dedicated hosts are expensive and not needed.
- B
Savings plans
Why wrong: Savings plans require commitment, similar to reserved instances.
- C
On-demand instances
On-demand offers no commitment and can be used when spot instances are not available, but it's more expensive.
- D
Spot instances
Spot instances are very cheap and suitable for interruptible workloads.
- E
Reserved instances
Why wrong: Reserved instances require 1- or 3-year commitment; not suitable for short, variable workloads.
Question 949 of 997
CV0-004 Cloud Architecture and Design Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of cloud architecture and design. 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 cloud architect is designing a cost-optimized architecture for a batch processing workload that runs every hour for 10 minutes. The workload is fault-tolerant and can be interrupted. Which TWO pricing models should the architect consider to minimize costs? (Select TWO.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
✓
On-demand instances
On-demand instances (C) are correct because they allow the architect to pay only for the compute capacity used per hour, with no upfront commitment, which is ideal for a short-duration (10-minute) batch workload that runs every hour. Spot instances (D) are correct because the workload is fault-tolerant and can be interrupted, enabling the use of spare cloud capacity at significantly discounted rates (often 60-90% off on-demand), further minimizing costs for this interruptible batch processing task.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Dedicated hosts
Why it's wrong here
Dedicated hosts are expensive and not needed.
- ✗
Savings plans
Why it's wrong here
Savings plans require commitment, similar to reserved instances.
- ✓
On-demand instances
Why this is correct
On-demand offers no commitment and can be used when spot instances are not available, but it's more expensive.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Spot instances
Why this is correct
Spot instances are very cheap and suitable for interruptible workloads.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reserved instances
Why it's wrong here
Reserved instances require 1- or 3-year commitment; not suitable for short, variable workloads.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that reserved instances or savings plans are always cheaper for any recurring workload, but the trap here is that these require long-term commitments and are cost-inefficient for short-duration, interruptible batch jobs where spot instances provide greater savings without upfront risk.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Savings plans require commitment, similar to reserved instances.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Spot instances leverage AWS's spare EC2 capacity, which can be reclaimed with a 2-minute termination notice (via the EC2 Spot Instance Interruption Notice), making them ideal for stateless, fault-tolerant batch jobs that can checkpoint progress. On-demand instances provide a fallback if spot capacity is unavailable, ensuring the workload completes within the hourly window; combining both in a mixed-instances policy (e.g., using a Spot Fleet or Auto Scaling group with a percentage split) optimizes cost while maintaining availability. In real-world scenarios, using spot instances for the primary compute and on-demand as a 'buffer' can reduce costs by up to 90% for batch processing workloads like log analysis or video transcoding.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CV0-004 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CV0-004 question test?
Cloud Architecture and Design — This question tests Cloud Architecture and Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: On-demand instances — On-demand instances (C) are correct because they allow the architect to pay only for the compute capacity used per hour, with no upfront commitment, which is ideal for a short-duration (10-minute) batch workload that runs every hour. Spot instances (D) are correct because the workload is fault-tolerant and can be interrupted, enabling the use of spare cloud capacity at significantly discounted rates (often 60-90% off on-demand), further minimizing costs for this interruptible batch processing task.
What should I do if I get this CV0-004 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CV0-004 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CV0-004 exam.
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