CLF-C02 Cloud Concepts Practice Question
A company wants to run a MySQL database on AWS. They require full control over the operating system, MySQL version selection, storage layout, and network configuration. Which cloud service model provides this level of control?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse Amazon RDS (a PaaS offering) with full control, but RDS does not allow OS access, custom MySQL version selection outside supported versions, or direct storage layout control, making IaaS the only correct choice for the stated requirements.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
C is correct because Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, giving the customer full control over the operating system, database software (including MySQL version selection), storage layout (e.g., instance store vs. EBS volumes), and network configuration (e.g., VPC, subnets, security groups). This is the only service model that allows you to manage the underlying OS and database stack directly, similar to running a physical server.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Why it's wrong here
In SaaS, the provider delivers a fully functional application over the internet and takes responsibility for the entire underlying environment, including hardware, operating system, middleware, and application code. The customer merely configures settings and manages its own data inside the app, with no access to the OS or runtime. In the EC2 scenario, the user selects the OS, installs MySQL, and patches the system, which is complete lifecycle control over infrastructure components—so the answer is definitely not SaaS.
- ✗
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Why it's wrong here
PaaS supplies a ready-made runtime environment – for example, Elastic Beanstalk automatically provisions the OS, web server, and application runtime, letting developers simply upload their code. With PaaS, the user does not maintain, patch, or configure the operating system. In contrast, an EC2 instance running MySQL forces the user to choose an AMI, harden the OS, apply security updates, and tune the database itself, which is typical IaaS management rather than PaaS abstraction.
- ✓
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why this is correct
IaaS gives customers control over the OS, storage, and deployed applications while AWS manages the physical hardware and virtualisation. Running MySQL on an EC2 instance where the customer selects and patches the OS and controls the MySQL installation is classic IaaS.
- ✗
Function as a Service (FaaS)
Why it's wrong here
FaaS, exemplified by AWS Lambda, abstracts infrastructure so completely that the user uploads only function code and the service handles the server, OS, container, and scaling. Execution is event-driven and stateless; the user has no opportunity to install, patch, or maintain software such as MySQL. The exam scenario requires the user to provision an EC2 instance and manually manage the database service, which involves hands-on control of the OS and process, making FaaS entirely the wrong classification.
Visual reference
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
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About these practice questions
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.