220-1101 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Practice Question
A company wants to migrate its custom web application to the cloud. The development team needs full administrative access to the operating system, the ability to install custom middleware, and control over security configurations. They want to avoid managing the physical servers, hypervisors, and data center infrastructure. Which cloud service model should the company choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1101 exam often tests the misconception that PaaS provides full OS access because it includes 'platform' in its name, but in reality PaaS restricts the user to the application layer and does not allow OS-level administrative control.
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 development team full administrative access to the operating system, the ability to install custom middleware, and control over security configurations. The cloud provider manages the physical servers, hypervisors, and data center infrastructure, while the customer retains control over the OS, storage, and deployed applications. This matches the requirement for full OS-level access without managing the underlying hardware.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why this is correct
IaaS delivers raw virtualized compute, storage, and networking, giving you full administrative control over the OS, runtime, and web server. When migrating a custom web application, you can replicate its existing architecture exactly, install custom dependencies, and tune the kernel or middleware without provider-imposed restrictions. The cloud provider handles only the physical layer and virtualization, making IaaS the right choice when the application requires specific OS configurations or legacy components.
- ✗
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Why it's wrong here
PaaS abstracts away the OS and runtime, automatically managing patching and scaling while you only deploy application code. This convenience becomes a limitation for a custom web app that relies on OS-level libraries or a specific server configuration, because you cannot modify the underlying environment. Since PaaS forces compliance with its supported stacks and frameworks, it is not suitable for migrating an app that needs full control over its runtime.
When this WOULD be correct
A company wants to deploy a custom web application without managing the underlying OS, runtime, or middleware, but needs full control over the application code and data. The provider handles scaling, patching, and infrastructure, while the team focuses on development.
- ✗
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Why it's wrong here
SaaS delivers a complete, ready-to-use application over the internet, such as email or a CRM, with the vendor owning all code and infrastructure. You cannot upload or run your own custom web application within a SaaS offering—you can only configure the provided software. Therefore, SaaS cannot host a custom app migration, as it provides no compute or runtime environment for your code.
When this WOULD be correct
A company wants to use a cloud-based email service without managing servers, OS, or middleware, and only needs to configure user settings and data. SaaS would be correct for that scenario.
- ✗
Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Why it's wrong here
DaaS delivers virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) that streams individual desktop operating systems to end-user devices. It is designed for user access to a managed desktop environment, not for hosting server-side workloads like a web application. The compute resources back the desktop session, not a public web server, so DaaS is fundamentally unrelated to migrating a custom web application.
When this WOULD be correct
A company needs to provide remote employees with secure access to standardized desktop environments, including applications and data, without managing physical hardware or VDI infrastructure. The question would specify requirements for desktop delivery, not custom web app hosting.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
IaaS delivers raw virtualized compute, storage, and networking, giving you full administrative control over the OS, runtime, and web server. When migrating a custom web application, you can replicate its existing architecture exactly, install custom dependencies, and tune the kernel or middleware without provider-imposed restrictions. The cloud provider handles only the physical layer and virtualization, making IaaS the right choice when the application requires specific OS configurations or legacy components.
✗Platform as a Service (PaaS)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
PaaS provides a managed platform where the cloud provider handles the OS, runtime, and middleware, limiting the development team's ability to install custom middleware and control OS-level security configurations.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company wants to deploy a custom web application without managing the underlying OS, runtime, or middleware, but needs full control over the application code and data. The provider handles scaling, patching, and infrastructure, while the team focuses on development.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse PaaS with IaaS because both involve custom applications, but PaaS abstracts more infrastructure, leading them to overlook the requirement for full OS and middleware control.
✗Software as a Service (SaaS)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
SaaS provides ready-to-use software accessed via a browser, not full administrative OS access, custom middleware installation, or security control. The company needs to manage the OS and middleware, which SaaS does not allow.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company wants to use a cloud-based email service without managing servers, OS, or middleware, and only needs to configure user settings and data. SaaS would be correct for that scenario.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'cloud service' with 'software delivered over the internet' and overlook the requirement for full OS and middleware control, thinking SaaS can be customized enough.
✗Desktop as a Service (DaaS)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
DaaS provides virtual desktops, not full OS-level administrative access for custom web application hosting. It abstracts the OS and middleware, conflicting with the requirement for full control over the OS and custom middleware.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company needs to provide remote employees with secure access to standardized desktop environments, including applications and data, without managing physical hardware or VDI infrastructure. The question would specify requirements for desktop delivery, not custom web app hosting.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse DaaS with IaaS due to both involving virtualization and cloud delivery, or mistakenly think DaaS offers similar OS control when it actually focuses on desktop virtualization with limited administrative access.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
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Key term
Operating system
An operating system (OS) is the core software that manages a computer's hardware and software resources, providing common services for computer programs.
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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JA
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.