AWS presents a series of large EC2 instances that can be used optimally for various computing needs. Of these, the t2.large and m4.large are two blockbuster instance types that a media company’s resource utilization decision makers must think through and compare before they make a decision. Because, if you look at the comparative matrix, both t2.large and m4.large instances look very similar. That makes it a challenge to decide the best resource, in terms of price and performance. Here’s a information break-up of AWS EC2 t2.large vs m4.large for media companies.

The Backdrop

Typically, media sites handle large number of concurrent visitors at any given time. Visitors spend time on each page reading, watching videos, or interacting with the content, before they go to another page or leave the site. And when you are running a campaign or a viral content, the site visits manifolds. So, your site needs heavy storage and high bandwidth. A compute instance must satisfy these requirements along with the need to run many applications in one production environment.

As a resource planner, you will tend to look at large AWS EC2 instances. And you are right in doing so. But then, which one to choose amongst the many ‘large’ instances that AWS provides? You have t2.large, m4.large, m3.large, c4.large, c3 large, etc. Which one is better for your media site that optimally provides a balance of compute, memory, and network resources and a platform to run those many applications and utilities? Plus you need to know which is the most optimized and economical instance that caters to all your compute, memory, and network resource needs?

Confused! Do not worry; we have two large instance type champions: t2.large and m4.large, which provide similar capabilities for your requirements. A right-sized and optimized cloud environment is going to give anyone the best savings. So, let’s explore some of the reasons why your engineering team would consider either EC2 instance over the other. Here’s a closer look at AWS EC2 t2.large vs m4.large instances’ specifications:

Now let’s take a closer look at AWS EC2 t2.large vs m4.large instances’ pricing comparison(for US East Region), which is a major differentiating factor to make a decision:

From the above compare matrix, we can see that both t2.large and m4.large instances feature dual-core vCPUs, with the t2 sporting high-frequency Intel Xeon processors with turbo modes up to 3.3GHz. The m4.large features 2.4GHz Intel Xeon Haswell CPU, which AWS markets as being “optimized for EC2.” While the t2.large features burstable compute, the m4.large has a cap of 6.5 units.

Both the instances feature the same amount of memory and both require the provisioning of AWS EBS volumes. As far as cost management goes, users should be ready to also account for the spending on EBS when using either the t2.large or the m4.large. If storage access speed is a big deal, it is very significant to note that the m4.large features EBS optimization.

The Catch

As media sites require heavy storage and high bandwidth, m4.large are a better fit. Because, m4.large has a dedicated EBS bandwidth of 450 Mbps.

In brief, m4.large instances are the latest generation of General Purpose Instances from AWS EC2. They provide a balance of compute, memory, and network resources, and it is a good choice for many applications. Like the AWS EC2 site states, the m4 family is “great for many web server applications and other general uses. Plus, it’s EBS-optimized offering comes by default, at no additional cost.

Here’re some useful scenarios of m4 instances in general and m4.large in particular:

Small and mid-size databases

Data processing tasks that require additional memory

Caching fleets

Running backend servers for SAP, Microsoft SharePoint, cluster computing, and other enterprise applications.

The Bottomline

Now that you have understanding of the capabilities of t2.large and m4.large instances and the price comparison, the next step would be to firm the decision. Botmetric can help you optimize your instance purchase and usage decisions. To know more about how m4.large is a better option for your requirements, get in touch with us.

At Botmetric, we provide intelligent analysis of your requirements, suggest ways and means to optimize instances, and get you going with your instances. No more discussions and researches on which instance to choose and how to maximize the potential of your cloud infrastructure! Talk to our experts and leverage our expertise. support@botmetric.com; and very much social: Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.