A company has a strict data residency policy that requires all customer data to remain stored on-premises at all times. However, the company experiences unpredictable spikes in compute demand and wants to use an AWS cloud environment to handle this additional workload during peak periods. The company needs a solution that allows them to seamlessly run applications across their on-premises infrastructure and AWS, using consistent management tools and APIs. The company also needs a dedicated, private network connection between the two environments for low latency and security. Which cloud deployment model best describes this architecture?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
Public cloud
A public cloud deployment model involves IT resources delivered over the internet and shared with other organizations. It does not include on-premises infrastructure, so it fails to satisfy the data residency requirement of keeping customer data on-premises.
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Private cloud
A private cloud is used exclusively by a single organization and can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider. While it satisfies data residency, it does not allow the organization to leverage AWS's public cloud for burst capacity, nor does it describe a mixed environment.
Best answer
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud deployment connects on-premises infrastructure (private cloud) with public cloud services (like AWS) using a secure network connection. This model enables the organization to keep sensitive data on-premises while using AWS for scalable compute capacity during peak demand, meeting both the data residency requirement and the need for burst capacity.
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Community cloud
A community cloud is shared by several organizations with common compliance or security concerns, such as government agencies or healthcare providers. It does not specifically address the combination of on-premises and public cloud resources described in this scenario.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer needs to launch a test server for a new application prototype. The developer logs into the AWS Management Console, selects an Amazon EC2 instance type, configures the security group, and starts the instance. The instance is running within two minutes, and the developer did not need to submit a formal request to the company's IT procurement team or wait for approval from a cloud administrator. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario best demonstrate?
Question 2
A solutions architect is planning a new web application on AWS. The workload will include 3 Amazon EC2 instances (t3.medium) running 24/7, an Application Load Balancer, and an Amazon RDS for MySQL db.t3.small database. The architect needs to estimate the monthly cost for the first year, considering different purchasing options (On-Demand, 1-year All Upfront Reserved Instance, and Compute Savings Plan). Which AWS tool should the architect use to create this estimate?
Question 3
A company's development team frequently needs temporary test environments. A developer can log into the AWS Management Console, select an Amazon EC2 instance type, configure storage, and launch the instance within minutes without any interaction with the IT infrastructure team. This capability is an example of which essential characteristic of cloud computing?
Question 4
A company's finance team needs to analyze AWS spending in detail. They require a report that includes hourly cost data for each AWS service, each individual resource (e.g., a specific EC2 instance), and any cost allocation tags applied. The team plans to export this data to an Amazon S3 bucket and then import it into a custom business intelligence (BI) analytics dashboard. Which AWS tool should the finance team use to generate this level of detailed cost data?
Question 5
A company uses AWS for its development environment. The finance team wants to set a monthly budget of $10,000. They want to receive an email notification when the actual costs reach 80% of the budget ($8,000) and again when costs exceed the budget. The team needs a managed AWS service that can automatically send these alerts without requiring custom code or third-party tools. Which AWS service should the team use?
Question 6
A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce a policy that restricts SSH access (port 22) from the internet (0.0.0.0/0) in all VPCs across all accounts. The team wants to centrally define the allowed rules and automatically apply them to newly created VPCs and security groups, while also automatically remediating any existing non-compliant security groups. Which AWS service should the team use?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Hybrid cloud — A hybrid cloud deployment model combines on-premises infrastructure (private cloud) with public cloud services (such as AWS) to allow data and applications to be shared between them. In this scenario, the company keeps sensitive data on-premises due to compliance requirements but uses AWS for burst compute capacity, which is a classic hybrid cloud use case. The need for consistent tools and a private network connection (such as AWS Direct Connect) further reinforces the hybrid model. Other models like public cloud do not involve on-premises infrastructure, private cloud is entirely on-premises, and community cloud is shared among multiple organizations with common concerns.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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