Overview
Spot instances (specifically the term used by AWS) allow you to bid on or use spare compute capacity for a fraction of the on-demand price. Like preemptible instances, they can be terminated by the provider if the capacity is needed for on-demand users.
Key Features
- Dynamic Pricing: Prices fluctuate based on supply and demand.
- Interruption Notice: Provides a 2-minute warning before the instance is reclaimed.
- Spot Fleet: A collection of spot instances (and optionally on-demand instances) that work together to maintain a target capacity.
Best Practices
- Use for stateless, flexible, or fault-tolerant applications.
- Use multiple instance types and availability zones to increase the chances of keeping your capacity.