220-1101 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Practice Question
A company wants to deploy a custom web application that includes a custom database and a web server with specific modules. The development team needs full control over the operating system, including the ability to apply security patches and install third-party software. The company does not want to manage the physical servers, hypervisors, or network infrastructure. The cloud provider will be responsible for the underlying hardware and virtualization layer. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that PaaS provides full OS control because it includes a database and web server, but the key distinction is that PaaS abstracts the OS layer, preventing the customer from installing arbitrary third-party software or applying OS-level patches.
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)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, giving the customer full control over the operating system, including the ability to apply security patches and install third-party software. The cloud provider manages the physical servers, hypervisors, and network infrastructure, while the customer retains administrative access to the OS, which is essential for deploying a custom web application with a custom database and specific modules.
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
Software as a Service delivers a ready-made application accessed over the internet; the customer consumes features but has zero administrative access to the host OS, runtime, or installed components. Deploying a custom web application with its own database requires installing and configuring software, but SaaS only permits using the vendor's predefined offering, so OS-level patching and custom installations are impossible.
- ✗
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Why it's wrong here
Platform as a Service provides a managed runtime environment where you can push application code and rely on built-in services, but the underlying operating system and middleware are abstracted and controlled by the provider. While PaaS may offer managed database services, it does not grant access to install arbitrary software or apply OS-level patches, which is a requirement for a truly custom database installation.
- ✓
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why this is correct
Infrastructure as a Service supplies virtualized computing resources—virtual machines with a full operating system that the customer administers over the network. The provider manages physical servers, storage, and the hypervisor, but the customer can install a custom web application, deploy a custom database, configure the OS exactly as needed, and apply patches. This matches the requirement for complete control.
- ✗
Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Why it's wrong here
Desktop as a Service streams virtual desktop environments to end users for day-to-day productivity, not server instances for hosting web workloads. The provider controls the underlying VDI infrastructure and user profile management, and customers typically cannot install kernel-level drivers, manage OS patches, or run persistent server applications. Therefore it cannot host a custom web application and its own database.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
IaaS, PaaS, SaaS for A+
Key term
Infrastructure as a Service
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing model that provides on-demand virtualized computing resources over the internet, such as virtual machines, storage, and networking, instead of owning and maintaining physical hardware.
Key term
Anything As A Service
A model where you rent any IT resource or service over the internet instead of owning it.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 220-1101 exam.