MS-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Test 5 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A marketing manager needs to provision a new virtual machine to run a temporary campaign analysis. They log into the cloud provider's web portal, select a VM size, configure settings, and start the VM within minutes—all without any human interaction with the provider's IT staff. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario best illustrate?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

On-demand self-service. The scenario describes a user provisioning a virtual machine independently through a web portal without any human interaction with the provider's IT staff. This directly maps to the NIST-defined essential characteristic of on-demand self-service, where a consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.

Answer

Resource pooling

Answer

Rapid elasticity

Answer

Measured service

Question 2

Which two statements correctly describe SaaS in a cloud computing model? (Choose 2.)

Accepted Answer

Users access a complete application provided by the cloud service provider.. In the SaaS model, users access a complete application—such as Microsoft 365—that is hosted and managed entirely by the cloud service provider. The provider handles all aspects of the application, including availability, performance, and security, while the user simply consumes the software via a web browser or client. This aligns with the NIST definition of SaaS, where the consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure or even individual application capabilities.

Answer

Customers manage the operating system patching.

Answer

Customers deploy their own runtime environment.

Question 3

A small business wants to use email and collaboration software without maintaining servers, databases, or application updates. Which cloud service model best describes Microsoft 365?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS). Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based suite that provides email (Exchange Online) and collaboration tools (Teams, SharePoint) as ready-to-use applications. This aligns with the SaaS model, where the provider manages the underlying infrastructure, platform, and software updates, allowing the customer to simply use the software without server maintenance.

Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Answer

On-premises hosting

Question 4

A company wants monthly billing based on the number of Microsoft 365 users assigned licenses. Which cloud characteristic does this represent?

Accepted Answer

Measured service. Measured service is a cloud characteristic where usage is metered and billed based on consumption. In this scenario, the company is billed monthly based on the number of Microsoft 365 users assigned licenses, which directly reflects metered usage of the service. This aligns with the pay-per-use model defined by NIST SP 800-145 for cloud computing.

Answer

Fault tolerance

Answer

Resource pooling

Answer

Rapid elasticity

Question 5

A business needs staff to access Microsoft 365 services from different locations using only an internet connection. Which cloud benefit is being used?

Accepted Answer

Broad network access. Broad network access is a core characteristic of cloud computing defined by NIST SP 800-145. It means that resources are available over the network and can be accessed by standard client platforms (e.g., laptops, tablets, smartphones) using only an internet connection, without requiring a dedicated private link or on-premises hardware. In this scenario, staff accessing Microsoft 365 from different locations via the internet directly demonstrates broad network access.

Answer

Capital expenditure spending

Answer

Manual provisioning

Answer

Server virtualization only

Question 6

Which three of the following are characteristics of cloud computing as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

On-demand self-service. NIST SP 800-145 defines cloud computing by five essential characteristics. On-demand self-service allows a consumer to provision computing capabilities automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider. Broad network access means capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations). Resource pooling enables the provider's computing resources to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.

Answer

Dedicated hardware per tenant

Answer

Limited scalability

Answer

Fixed pricing models

Question 7

A company is evaluating a move to the cloud. Which three of the following are advantages of using a public cloud model compared to a private cloud? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Elastic scaling of resources on demand. In a public cloud model, the cloud provider owns and manages the physical hardware, eliminating the need for the customer to make capital expenditures (CapEx) on servers, storage, and networking equipment. Public clouds offer elastic scaling, allowing resources like virtual machines or containers to be automatically provisioned or deprovisioned based on real-time demand, which is a core benefit of cloud computing. Provider-managed infrastructure maintenance means the cloud vendor handles all hardware patching, firmware updates, and physical security, offloading these operational responsibilities from the customer.

Answer

Lower total cost for all long-term workloads

Answer

Full control over physical security of data centers

Answer

Guaranteed data residency in a specific geographic location

Question 8

Which three of the following correctly describe the shared responsibility model in Microsoft 365? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

The customer is responsible for managing user identities and access.. The shared responsibility model delineates security obligations. Microsoft is responsible for maintaining network infrastructure and physical datacenter security. The customer is responsible for managing user identities, access, and protecting their own client devices, including physical security. Therefore, options A, B, C, and D are correct. Option E is wrong because Microsoft patches Exchange Online servers. Option F is wrong because Microsoft does not guarantee customer data backup in all scenarios.

Answer

Microsoft is responsible for ensuring customer data is backed up in all scenarios.

Answer

The customer is responsible for patching the operating system of Exchange Online servers.

Answer

The customer is responsible for physical security of client devices used to access Microsoft 365.

Question 9

Match each Microsoft 365 subscription plan to its description.

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Includes web and mobile versions of Office apps, business email, and 1 TB cloud storage.. Microsoft 365 Business Basic provides web and mobile Office apps only; Business Standard adds desktop apps; Business Premium adds advanced security and device management.

Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Includes desktop versions of Office apps, business email, and 1 TB cloud storage.

Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Standard: Includes all features of Business Basic plus advanced security and device management.

Question 10

Match each Microsoft 365 license type to its typical audience.

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Ideal for small businesses needing web and mobile access to email, file storage, and Teams.. Microsoft 365 licensing varies by organization size and needs. Business Basic and Business Premium target small to medium businesses, while E5 targets large enterprises. Distractors confuse the feature sets across different plans.

Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Basic: Designed for large enterprises requiring advanced compliance and analytics.

Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Standard: Best for small businesses needing only web and mobile access.

Answer

Microsoft 365 E3: Ideal for small businesses needing basic productivity tools.

Question 11

Match each Microsoft 365 support channel to its description.

Accepted Answer

Phone support: Direct voice communication with a support engineer for critical issues.. Microsoft 365 offers multiple support channels: Phone support for critical issues, Online self-help for documentation, Community forums for peer assistance, and the Service health dashboard for real-time status. Common confusions involve mixing definitions of phone and self-help or community and phone.

Answer

Phone support: Access to troubleshooting articles and documentation.

Answer

Community forums: Direct voice communication with a support engineer.

Question 12

Your organization is planning to migrate on-premises workloads to Microsoft 365. Which cloud deployment model describes using both on-premises infrastructure and Microsoft 365 services?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid cloud. A hybrid cloud model combines on-premises infrastructure with cloud services like Microsoft 365. Option A is incorrect because private cloud is dedicated to a single organization and does not necessarily include cloud services from a provider like Microsoft. Option B is incorrect because community cloud is shared by several organizations with common concerns. Option C is incorrect because public cloud uses only third-party provider services without on-premises infrastructure.

Answer

Private cloud

Answer

Community cloud

Answer

Public cloud

Question 13

Your company is experiencing high costs for maintaining an on-premises email server and wants to reduce IT management overhead. Which Microsoft 365 service provides enterprise-grade email with minimal infrastructure management?

Accepted Answer

Exchange Online. Exchange Online is the cloud-based email service. Option A is wrong because Microsoft Entra ID is identity management. Option B is wrong because SharePoint Online is for collaboration and document management. Option C is wrong because Microsoft Intune is for device management.

Answer

Microsoft Entra ID

Answer

SharePoint Online

Answer

Microsoft Intune

Question 14

Your organization uses Microsoft 365 and wants to provide employees with access to corporate resources from their personal devices without managing the entire device. Which cloud service model is being used?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS). Software as a Service (SaaS) is the correct cloud service model because Microsoft 365 is a SaaS offering. Users access applications like Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Teams over the internet without managing the underlying infrastructure or the devices. IaaS provides virtual machines and storage, PaaS provides a platform for custom applications, and DaaS delivers virtual desktops, but none match the scenario of using corporate SaaS apps from personal devices without device management.

Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Answer

Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 15

A company is evaluating cloud service models for running custom line-of-business applications. They need full control over the operating system and applications, but want to avoid managing physical hardware. Which cloud service model should they choose?

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the correct model because it provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, giving the customer full control over the operating system and applications while eliminating the need to manage physical hardware. Software as a Service (SaaS) offers pre-built applications with no control over the underlying OS. Platform as a Service (PaaS) abstracts the OS and runtime, offering a managed platform for applications, thus limiting OS control. Function as a Service (FaaS) runs individual functions in a serverless environment, abstracting servers entirely and providing no OS control.

Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Answer

Function as a Service (FaaS)