Exam AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate SAA-C03 topic 1 question 30 discussion

Answer C, you still pay for storage when an RDS database is stopped

C - Create a manual Snapshot of DB and shift to S3- Standard and Restore form Manual Snapshot when required. Not A - By stopping the DB although you are not paying for DB hours you are still paying for Provisioned IOPs , the storage for Stopped DB is more than Snapshot of underlying EBS vol. and Automated Back ups . Not D - Is possible but not MOST cost effective, no need to run the RDS when not needed.

Ans C – take Snapshots and restore them, because otherwise you're still paying for RDS storage.

C. This option allows you to save on costs by only paying for storage of the snapshot when the DB instance is terminated. When needed again, you can restore the DB instance from the snapshot, which is a cost-effective way to handle infrequent but resource-intensive tasks.

Most cost effective is to create a snapshot and get rid of the DB instance after testing. Note that A is not correct option as While your database instance is stopped, you are charged for provisioned storage, manual snapshots and automated backup storage within your specified retention window, but not for database instance hours.

A Since the tests only run once a month for 48 hours, this approach minimizes costs while still retaining the same compute and memory attributes when the instance is restarted. when Snapshot resorte i new config

My question is: isn't this DB collecting new data during the testing period ( 48 hrs.) ? after the snapshot is taken ? stop and restore db from the snapshot is the most cost effective but I think some data might be lost in between, so wouldn't be feasible !

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/USER_StopInstance.html

Answer C because, You can stop a DB instance for up to seven days. If you don't manually start your DB instance after seven days, your DB instance is automatically started so that it doesn't fall behind any required maintenance updates. So, the "auto starting" behaviour is expected. If you rarely use the database, BEST option is to Snapshot and Delete the database. Then, when you need it again, you could launch a new database from the Snapshot. Amazon RDS is not intended to be stopped for long periods.

DB is used one a month for 48 hours only so there is no point in keeping it up for rest of the month. B: more cost D: not allowed to reduce computing power A: It will work but C is much cheaper as instance is not only stopped but terminated.

Answer-C

Option A (Stop and Restart) is less operationally complex and provides a quicker way to resume the database. It's suitable if the primary concern is operational simplicity and quick availability. Option C (Snapshot, Terminate, and Restore) may offer higher cost savings, especially if the instance is large and expensive to run, as you're avoiding charges for the time the instance is down. However, it comes with higher operational complexity and longer lead times to bring the database back online. In Amazon RDS, you do incur charges for a DB instance even when it's stopped. This is a key distinction from Amazon EC2, where you are not charged for instance hours while an EC2 instance is stopped. For RDS, the charges related to the instance's storage and backups continue to accrue even when the instance itself is not running.

It is C Amazon RDS allows you to easily stop and start your database instances ONLY for up to seven days at a time. So Snapshot and Restore is proper solution.

Database not used by any other applications/processes, only use 48 hours per month while still need the same compute and RAM for intense testing => stop and start the instance will be the most cost effective. Option C needs to pay for snapshot of DB and more complex for what purpose?

Can you please clear my confusion, If the answer is C, What is the use of DB here, when every time DB is terminated and restored from snapshots? Data will remain the same right? If DB is terminated how new data is stored when db is not present

The Answer is A. Option A does reduce costs when RDS is not running, because RDS does not charge execution fees when it is not running. When an RDS instance is stopped, you only pay the associated storage charges. In Amazon RDS, storage and backup charges are based on the amount of storage you use. Therefore, when you stop an RDS execution instance, you will still pay the costs associated with storage, but not the execution fees. In contrast, if you use option C, which is to take a snapshot and terminate the instance, there may be costs associated with storing the snapshot and Amazon Machine Image (AMI). Overall, option A minimizes costs because when you stop an RDS execution instance, you only have to pay a relatively low storage cost rather than an execution fee.

A. Stop the DB instance when tests are completed. Restart the DB instance when required. Here's why option A is the most suitable choice: Cost Reduction: Stopping the DB instance when not in use effectively reduces the cost to zero during the idle period. You only pay for storage when the instance is stopped. This is a cost-effective way to handle infrequent, resource-intensive tasks without incurring ongoing costs. Performance Insights Enabled: This option allows you to keep Performance Insights enabled when the DB instance is stopped, which provides visibility into database performance. You can resume the instance and monitor performance during the testing period.