Question

A media company runs a data analytics platform on Google Cloud with a stable baseline of Compute Engine instances that operate 24/7 for at least the next three years. During monthly reporting periods, the workload spikes with additional short-lived instances that run for a few hours. The finance team wants to minimize total compute cost while keeping the architecture simple and avoiding upfront lump-sum payments. Which pricing strategy should the architect recommend?

Accepted Answer

Purchase 3-year committed use discounts for the steady-state baseline and rely on standard on-demand pricing for the monthly reporting spikes.

Answer

Run the entire workload, including the baseline, on Spot VMs to achieve the deepest possible discount.

Answer

Purchase 3-year committed use discounts sized to cover both the baseline and the peak reporting capacity.

Answer

Rely entirely on sustained use discounts for both the baseline and the reporting spikes without any commitments.