Answer: Configure scheduled scaling to scale up to the desired compute level.

## Explanation **Correct Answer: C - Configure scheduled scaling to scale up to the desired compute level.** ### Why this is the correct solution: 1. **Predictable Pattern**: The batch jobs run nightly at 1 AM with the same peak capacity every night. This predictable pattern makes scheduled scaling ideal. 2. **Cost-Effective**: Scheduled scaling ensures that the desired capacity is reached exactly when needed (at 1 AM), eliminating the 1-hour warm-up period where resources are scaling up gradually. This reduces costs by minimizing the time instances are running. 3. **Quick Capacity Achievement**: With scheduled scaling, the Auto Scaling group can instantly scale to the desired capacity at the scheduled time, rather than waiting for scaling policies to gradually add instances. 4. **Automatic Scale Down**: After the batch jobs complete, the Auto Scaling group can automatically scale down based on metrics or another scheduled action. ### Why other options are incorrect: - **A. Increase the minimum capacity**: This would keep instances running 24/7, which is not cost-effective for nightly batch jobs. - **B. Increase the maximum capacity**: This doesn't solve the problem of slow scaling; it only increases the upper limit. - **D. Change the scaling policy**: While this might reduce the warm-up time, it's less precise and efficient than scheduled scaling for predictable workloads. ### Best Practice Implementation: The solutions architect should: 1. Create a scheduled action to scale up to the desired capacity at 1 AM 2. Create another scheduled action to scale down after the batch jobs complete 3. Optionally combine with metric-based scaling for unexpected load variations This approach ensures optimal cost efficiency while meeting performance requirements.

Author: LeetQuiz Editorial Team