Which solution will meet these requirements MOST cost-effectively?
Create an Auto Scaling group that is large enough to handle peak traffic load. Stop half of the Amazon EC2 instances. Configure the Auto Scaling group to use the stopped instances to scale out when traffic increases.
Create an Auto Scaling group for the website. Set the minimum size of the Auto Scaling group so that it can handle high traffic volumes without the need to scale out.
Use Amazon CloudFront and Amazon ElastiCache to cache dynamic content with an Auto Scaling group set as the origin. Configure the Auto Scaling group with the instances necessary to populate CloudFront and ElastiCache. Scale in after the cache is fully populated.
Configure an Auto Scaling group to scale out as traffic increases. Create a launch template to start new instances from a preconfigured Amazon Machine Image (AMI).
Explanations:
Stopping half of the EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling group is not a cost-effective method, as it defeats the purpose of scaling dynamically to handle traffic. The Auto Scaling group should automatically manage instances based on real-time demand rather than relying on stopped instances.
Setting a minimum size in the Auto Scaling group to handle peak traffic does not allow for cost savings during non-peak times, as it would maintain a higher number of instances regardless of traffic. This approach may lead to unnecessary costs.
While using Amazon CloudFront and ElastiCache can help manage traffic and improve performance, this option does not directly address scaling the EC2 instances effectively. Additionally, the need to scale in after cache population adds complexity that may not be cost-effective.
Configuring an Auto Scaling group to scale out based on traffic increases is the most effective solution. This allows the website to dynamically adjust resources to match demand, ensuring optimal performance during traffic spikes while keeping costs in check by only using additional instances as needed. The use of a launch template simplifies instance provisioning and management.
I estimate that the answer is:
Configure an Auto Scaling group to scale out as traffic increases. Create a launch template to start new instances from a preconfigured Amazon Machine Image (AMI).