If your project requires you to run monthly reports that iterate through very large amounts of data, which Amazon EC2 purchasing option should you consider?

For a project that involves running monthly reports on very large amounts of data, Scheduled Reserved Instances are a suitable option. These instances provide the benefit of cost savings when capacity is booked for a specific timeframe, ensuring you have the necessary resources available when needed.

Scheduled Reserved Instances allow you to reserve compute capacity for predictable workloads that occur on a regular schedule. Since the reports are generated monthly, this option aligns well with the fixed schedule, allowing you to prepare for peak usage while minimizing costs compared to on-demand pricing.

In contrast, On-Demand Instances are more flexible but can end up being more expensive for long-term or predictable workloads. Spot Instances, while cost-effective, are not guaranteed, as they can be terminated if there is competition for resources, making them less ideal for essential reporting tasks that need reliability. Dedicated Hosts, while offering additional benefits like server-level visibility and control, may be overkill and expensive for workloads that can be satisfied with more conventional instance types.