220-1101 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Practice Question
A company is migrating its on-premises infrastructure to a cloud provider. The IT team needs full control over the operating system, the ability to install custom applications, and the ability to configure network settings such as firewalls and subnets. They want to avoid managing the physical hardware. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse PaaS with IaaS because both involve cloud computing, but PaaS abstracts the OS and network configuration, which directly contradicts the requirement for full control over firewalls and subnets.
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 IT team full control over the operating system, the ability to install custom applications, and the ability to configure network settings such as firewalls and subnets, while the cloud provider manages the physical hardware. This model abstracts the underlying hardware but exposes the virtual infrastructure, meeting all stated requirements.
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
SaaS delivers fully formed, ready-to-run applications (e.g., email, CRM) over the internet. The cloud provider manages everything from the application code down to the physical servers, so the customer has no ability to configure the OS, install custom software, or alter network settings. This directly conflicts with the requirement to control the operating system and network configuration, making SaaS unsuitable for migrating existing on-premises infrastructure that needs administrative access.
- ✗
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Why it's wrong here
PaaS supplies a managed development and deployment environment, typically including runtime, middleware, and database services. While the customer controls their application code and some deployment settings, they do not manage the underlying operating system, patch levels, or virtual network components such as firewalls and subnets. Because the migration requires direct control over the OS and network configuration, PaaS is not the correct fit; it abstracts away those layers rather than exposing them.
- ✓
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why this is correct
IaaS provides virtualized computing resources—such as VMs, storage, and virtual networks—where the customer has full administrative access to the guest OS, can install and run any software, and can configure networking components like route tables, security groups, and VPNs. The provider only maintains the physical hardware, hypervisor, and foundational network fabric. This matches the stated requirement of controlling the OS and network configuration while migrating on-premises infrastructure, making IaaS the correct service model.
- ✗
Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Why it's wrong here
DaaS offers virtual desktops delivered to end users, with the provider handling the desktop images, user profiles, and connectivity brokering. It is designed for client access scenarios, not for general-purpose server workloads, and it typically restricts users to a preconfigured desktop environment without full OS-level control or the ability to manage the underlying virtual network. Since the goal is migrating on-premises infrastructure (likely servers) that requires OS and network customization, DaaS does not provide the necessary flexibility and is therefore incorrect.
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Virtual Machine Networking Modes
Key term
Anything As A Service
A model where you rent any IT resource or service over the internet instead of owning it.
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.
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