EC2 Instance Types Infographic
AWS Architecture Guide

EC2 Instance Types

Choosing the right specialized hardware for your cloud workloads: Compute, Memory, or Storage optimized.

1. The Ingredients: Specialized Hardware

Every instance family is engineered with a specific bottleneck in mind.

C

Compute Optimized

High-performance processors with the highest ratio of vCPUs to memory.

  • Batch Processing
  • Media Encoding
  • Scientific Modeling
R

Memory Optimized

Designed for fast performance for workloads that process large data sets in memory.

  • High-Perf Databases
  • Distributed Caches
  • Real-time Analytics
I / D

Storage Optimized

High, sequential read/write access to large data sets on local storage.

  • NoSQL Databases
  • Data Warehousing
  • Log Processing

2. Selection Process

How to map your application needs to the right family.

WORKLOAD ANALYSIS HIGH CPU HIGH RAM HIGH I/O BALANCED (M)
Compute Focused
Memory Focused
Storage Focused
General Purpose

Turbo Boost

C-series instances often feature higher clock speeds for faster serial execution.

NVMe Storage

I-series utilizes local NVMe SSDs for millions of IOPS with low latency.

High RAM Ratio

R-series provides up to 1:8 vCPU-to-Memory ratio for caching heavy apps.

Cost Optimization

Right-sizing to specialized types can reduce monthly spend by up to 30%.

AWS EC2 Reference Guide • Designed for Cloud Architects • 2023

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top