Which cloud cost optimization strategy involves shutting down non-production resources during off-hours?
- Right-sizing
- Auto-scaling
- Scheduling
- Reserved Instances
Answer: Scheduling
Scheduling (or start-stop automation) shuts down dev/test environments nights and weekends, reducing costs by 60-70%. Implemented via cloud provider tools (AWS Instance Scheduler, Azure Automation) or third-party solutions. Complements other strategies: right-sizing (match resources to workload), reserved instances (commitment discounts), and auto-scaling (demand-based scaling).