EC2 Instance Types Flashcards
What are EC2 Instance Types?
EC2 Instance Types refer to various configurations of compute capacity in Amazon EC2, each optimized for different workloads and use cases, including general purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, accelerated computing, and storage-optimized instances.
What are General Purpose Instances in EC2?
General Purpose Instances offer a balance of compute, memory, and networking resources for a wide variety of workloads. They are suitable for applications that use these resources in equal proportions such as web servers and code repositories.
What are Compute Optimized Instances in EC2?
Compute Optimized Instances are designed for applications that benefit from high compute power. They are ideal for compute-bound applications that require high performance processors, such as batch processing workloads and media transcoding.
What are Memory Optimized Instances in EC2?
Memory Optimized Instances are designed to deliver fast performance for workloads that process large data sets in memory. They are suitable for high-performance databases, distributed web scale in-memory caches, and real-time big data analytics.
What are Accelerated Computing Instances in EC2?
Accelerated Computing Instances use hardware accelerators, or co-processors, to perform functions such as floating-point number calculations, graphics processing, or data pattern matching more efficiently than software running on CPUs.
What are Storage Optimized Instances in EC2?
Storage Optimized Instances are designed for workloads that require high, sequential read and write access to very large data sets on local storage. They are optimized for storage-intensive tasks such as distributed file systems, data warehousing, and high-frequency online transaction processing (OLTP) systems.
How does one choose the right EC2 Instance Type?
Choosing the right EC2 Instance Type depends on the specific needs of the application, including CPU, memory, storage, and networking capabilities. Assessing the workload characteristics and performance requirements is crucial to selecting the most appropriate instance type.
What is the difference between On-Demand Instances and Spot Instances in EC2?
On-Demand Instances let you pay for compute capacity by the hour with no long-term commitments. Spot Instances allow you to bid on spare Amazon EC2 computing capacity for up to 90% off the On-Demand price.
Can EC2 Instance Types be changed after they are launched?
Yes, EC2 instances can be modified to use a different instance type which better suits the workload’s requirements after they are launched, subject to certain limitations and considerations.
What is an ‘Instance Family’ in the context of Amazon EC2?
An ‘Instance Family’ groups EC2 Instance Types based on their target application profiles, such as General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Accelerated Computing, and Storage Optimized, making it easier to find the right type based on workload needs.
