AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice Test

When auto-scaling needs to terminate an instance, what is one of the default behaviors?

1. Terminate the instance with the least active network connections

2. Send an SNS notification

3. Randomly select an instance from any AZ

4. Always terminate the first instance launched

The correct answer is: Send an SNS notification

In the context of AWS auto-scaling, when an auto-scaling group determines that it needs to terminate an instance, one of its default behaviors involves sending an SNS (Simple Notification Service) notification. This notification can be crucial for various reasons, such as alerting administrators about instance terminations, enabling logging for monitoring purposes, or triggering workflows in response to scaling activities. This behavior helps ensure that you maintain visibility into your infrastructure's operational status and provides the opportunity to react to changes dynamically. While there are other mechanisms and configurations available for instance termination, the inclusion of SNS notifications as a default behavior underscores AWS's emphasis on monitoring and management during scaling events.