Spot Instances: We Know They're Cheap, But When Should We Actually Use Them?
In theory, AWS Spot Instances are a cost-saving marvel. They promise savings of up to 90% compared to On-Demand Instances, but despite the appealing price tag, many organizations still hesitate to implement them. The real question is: when is it actually a good idea to use Spot Instances without risking disruptions or compromising performance?
Let’s explore the ins and outs of Spot Instances, uncover the best use cases, and understand when they might not be the right choice for your workloads.
What Are Spot Instances, Anyway?
Spot Instances are AWS's spare computing capacity that’s available at a steep discount. While their price can be enticing—up to 90% less than On-Demand Instances—the trade-off is that they can be terminated with little notice if AWS needs the capacity for more urgent tasks. This makes Spot Instances an excellent tool for certain workloads, but not for others.
AWS helps you assess Spot pricing with tools like the Spot Instance Advisor, allowing you to compare savings and interruption risks based on your region, instance type, and other criteria.
When Should You Use Spot Instances?
Spot Instances are ideal for workloads that don’t require constant uptime and can handle interruptions. Here are some scenarios where they shine:
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Where Should You Avoid Spot Instances?
Despite their savings, Spot Instances are not suitable for every workload. Here’s when they should be avoided:
Best Practices for Using Spot Instances
If you decide Spot Instances are the right fit for your workloads, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Final Thoughts: When to Leverage Spot Instances
In summary, AWS Spot Instances offer great potential for saving on cloud infrastructure costs—but they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution. They are perfect for tasks that are fault-tolerant and can tolerate the occasional interruption, like batch processing, CI/CD, and machine learning training.
However, if you rely on consistent uptime or need to guarantee performance, you’ll want to stick with Reserved or On-Demand Instances. The key is to understand the unique needs of your workloads and align them with the right instance types for maximum efficiency and savings.