- A
On-demand instance
Why wrong: On-demand instances are full price and not terminated early, but they do not offer the cost savings of spot instances.
- B
Reserved instance
Why wrong: Reserved instances require a long-term commitment and are not designed for short-notice termination.
- C
Spot instance
Spot instances use spare capacity at a lower cost but can be reclaimed by the provider at any time.
- D
Dedicated host
Why wrong: Dedicated hosts provide physical isolation and are more expensive, not suitable for cost savings with termination risk.
Question 223 of 1,020
Spot Instances: Low-Cost Cloud Compute with Termination Risk
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of cloud computing concepts. 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 uses a public cloud provider for compute resources. To reduce costs, they want to use unused capacity at a lower price but accept that the instance may be terminated with short notice. Which pricing model should they choose?
Quick Answer
The answer is a spot instance. This pricing model allows you to access unused cloud capacity at a steep discount—often 60-90% less than on-demand pricing—but with the trade-off that the instance can be terminated with short notice when the provider reclaims the resources. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this question tests your understanding of advanced cloud pricing models, specifically how spot instances differ from on-demand (full price, no interruption risk) and reserved instances (long-term commitment for steady workloads). A common trap is confusing spot instances with reserved instances, but remember: reserved is for predictable, always-on workloads, while spot is for fault-tolerant, interruptible tasks. For the exam, think of spot as “cheap but choppy”—you save money but must handle sudden termination. A quick memory tip: “Spot the discount, risk the drop.”
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
✓
Spot instance
This question tests knowledge of advanced cloud pricing models. A spot instance (or preemptible VM) uses unused cloud capacity at a steep discount but can be terminated when the provider needs the resources back. On-demand is full price, reserved is for long-term commitments, and dedicated hosts are for isolation, not cost savings with termination risk.
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.
- ✗
On-demand instance
Why it's wrong here
On-demand instances are full price and not terminated early, but they do not offer the cost savings of spot instances.
- ✗
Reserved instance
Why it's wrong here
Reserved instances require a long-term commitment and are not designed for short-notice termination.
- ✓
Spot instance
Why this is correct
Spot instances use spare capacity at a lower cost but can be reclaimed by the provider at any time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Dedicated host
Why it's wrong here
Dedicated hosts provide physical isolation and are more expensive, not suitable for cost savings with termination risk.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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 220-1201 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 220-1201 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
Cloud Computing Concepts — This question tests Cloud Computing Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Spot instance — This question tests knowledge of advanced cloud pricing models. A spot instance (or preemptible VM) uses unused cloud capacity at a steep discount but can be terminated when the provider needs the resources back. On-demand is full price, reserved is for long-term commitments, and dedicated hosts are for isolation, not cost savings with termination risk.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Identify which 220-1201 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026
This 220-1201 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 220-1201 exam.
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