KCNA Cloud Native Architecture Practice Question
An application is deployed across multiple cloud providers (AWS and GCP) to avoid vendor lock-in. This is an example of which pattern?
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
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Multi-cloud
Multi-cloud refers to using services from multiple cloud providers simultaneously.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Public cloud
Why it's wrong here
Public cloud describes consuming services from a single provider over the internet. It is tempting because AWS and GCP are both public clouds, but the pattern's defining feature is using two providers concurrently to avoid lock-in, which is multi-cloud, not public cloud alone.
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Federated cloud
Why it's wrong here
Federated cloud refers to identity, billing or management federation across providers, not the deliberate distribution of one application across them. It is tempting because federation implies multiple clouds, but the scenario's lock-in avoidance through dual deployment is multi-cloud.
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Hybrid cloud
Why it's wrong here
Hybrid cloud combines private infrastructure with public cloud services, typically for workload placement or burst capacity. It is tempting because it spans environments, but it does not describe running one application simultaneously across two public providers to avoid lock-in, which is multi-cloud.
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Multi-cloud
Why this is correct
Multi-cloud means deliberately using two or more distinct public cloud providers, here AWS and GCP, so workloads avoid dependence on one vendor. That directly satisfies the stated vendor lock-in avoidance constraint, distinguishing it from hybrid cloud, which pairs private infrastructure with a single public provider.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This KCNA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF 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 KCNA exam.