Describe the pressure on the application
Is the program calculating, holding a large dataset in memory or waiting for storage? These are different problems. I suggest writing one sentence about the main pressure before looking at instance families. A larger server is not automatically the right answer.
Check compatibility
Processor architecture, image support and network capabilities matter alongside CPU and RAM. Confirm your software supports the chosen configuration. Check the selected Region and current service availability before planning a lab around a specific option.
Measure before resizing again
Run representative work and inspect utilisation. A slow query may need a software change rather than additional memory. Record the configuration, observed bottleneck and result of each change so that the next decision is based on evidence.
Try it yourself
Compare a small website, an in-memory cache and a calculation job. Identify the resource that matters most to each.
A common question
Should I always choose the smallest instance?
Choose an option suitable for the exercise, software requirements and budget. The smallest option may not be adequate.
References & video notes
Use the video to follow the topic with me. Console screens and older offers can change, so check the current AWS documentation before performing a lab.
Keep learning
- What is Amazon EC2? A beginner’s guide
- What is an AMI? Understanding EC2 machine images
- Plan and launch your first EC2 instance