CLF-C02 - Cloud Concepts - Section 1.3

Identify the six pillars of the AWS Well-Architected Framework and distinguish the design principles each pillar promotes.

Identify the six pillars of the AWS Well-Architected Framework - operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimisation, and sustainability - and the key design principles each promotes. Apply the framework to evaluate trade-offs between pillars when assessing an architecture.

AWS Well-Architected FrameworkOperational excellenceCost optimisationSustainability

Practice question for this objective

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A finance lead is planning a new workload and wants to follow design principles that the cost optimisation pillar of the AWS Well-Architected Framework specifically promotes. Which two approaches reflect cost optimisation design principles? (Select TWO.)

  • AAdopt a consumption model, paying only for the computing resources the workload actually uses and scaling capacity up or down with demand. Correct
  • BTest recovery procedures regularly so the team has practised restoring the workload before a real failure happens in production.
  • CAnalyse and attribute expenditure so each workload's running cost is measured and assigned to the team or business unit that owns it. Correct
  • DProtect data in transit and at rest by encrypting it and tightly controlling who and what can access the stored information.
  • EEstablish a long-term goal to reduce the energy and resources each unit of work consumes so the workload's environmental impact falls over time.
Recognise that cost optimisation promotes adopting a consumption model and analysing and attributing expenditure, distinct from reliability, security and sustainability principles. The cost optimisation pillar aims to deliver business value at the lowest price point; paying only for resources consumed removes spend on idle capacity, while measuring and attributing expenditure gives teams the visibility they need to find and cut waste.

Why A is correct: Adopting a consumption model and paying only for what is used is a core cost optimisation design principle that avoids paying for idle capacity.

Why B is wrong: Regularly testing recovery is valuable but it is a reliability pillar design principle, so it does not belong to cost optimisation.

Why C is correct: Measuring and attributing expenditure is a cost optimisation design principle because visibility of who spends what drives accountable, efficient spending.

Why D is wrong: Encrypting and controlling access to data is important yet it is a security pillar design principle, not a cost optimisation one.

Why E is wrong: Reducing energy per unit of work is a real aim but it is a sustainability pillar design principle, so it does not belong to cost optimisation.

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