220-1101 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Practice Question
A company is migrating its on-premises virtualized infrastructure to a public cloud IaaS provider. The on-premises VMs were configured with static private IP addresses that are hardcoded in legacy applications for licensing and integration purposes. After migration, the legacy applications fail because the IP addresses assigned to the VMs in the cloud are different from the original on-premises addresses. The cloud provider does not allow the customer to keep the same IP addresses without using additional services. Which cloud computing characteristic is MOST directly responsible for the IP address change?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that 'on-demand self-service' allows customers to choose any IP address, but the trap here is that resource pooling is the underlying reason why the provider's IP pool is shared and cannot be customized without extra services.
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
✓
Resource pooling
Resource pooling is the cloud characteristic where the provider's compute resources are pooled to serve multiple customers using a multi-tenant model, with physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to customer demand. This means the customer has no control over the exact underlying IP addressing scheme; the provider assigns IP addresses from its own pool, which are different from the on-premises static IPs. The need for additional services (like VPN or IP address translation) to retain the original IPs is a direct consequence of resource pooling, as the provider cannot guarantee a specific IP address without breaking the shared, abstracted nature of the pool.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Resource pooling
Why this is correct
Resource pooling allows the provider to assign virtual resources, including IP addresses, from a shared pool. This means the customer's VMs receive different IPs than they had on-premises unless a dedicated IP service is used.
- ✗
Rapid elasticity
Why it's wrong here
Rapid elasticity is the cloud characteristic that automates quick scaling of resources to match demand, but IP addressing is governed by the cloud's network virtualization layer and the shared IP pool, not by the elastic scaling process. When a VM is created or scaled out, it still receives an address from that pool, which is why on-premises IPs are lost. Elasticity affects resource quantity, not the network identity or address assignment.
- ✗
Measured service
Why it's wrong here
Measured service concerns the metering and billing of consumed resources based on metrics like compute hours, storage, and bandwidth, offering usage transparency to the customer. IP addresses, in contrast, are typically allocated from a shared pool managed by the provider's networking infrastructure and are not a metered, billable unit that influences address selection. Therefore, migrating VMs does not carry over IPs because the address provisioning mechanism is independent of the metering system.
When this WOULD be correct
A company deploys a web application on a public cloud and wants to track usage for billing purposes. The cloud provider offers detailed reports on compute hours, data transfer, and storage consumed. Which cloud characteristic enables this granular billing? (Answer: Measured service)
- ✗
On-demand self-service
Why it's wrong here
On-demand self-service provides a portal or API allowing users to provision resources without human provider involvement, accelerating deployment. Yet the actual IP address a new VM receives is determined by the virtual network's DHCP or IPAM configuration and the available pool, not by the self-service interface itself. The portal triggers resource creation but does not control the specific IP allocation, so the original addresses are not retained from on-premises.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asking which characteristic enables a user to spin up a virtual machine through a web portal without contacting the provider's IT staff would have on-demand self-service as the correct answer.
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.
✓Resource poolingCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Resource pooling allows the provider to assign virtual resources, including IP addresses, from a shared pool. This means the customer's VMs receive different IPs than they had on-premises unless a dedicated IP service is used.
✗Measured serviceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Measured service refers to the provider's ability to monitor and charge for resource usage (e.g., metering CPU hours, storage). It does not dictate IP address assignment; the IP change is due to the provider's resource pooling, where physical resources are shared and abstracted from the customer.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company deploys a web application on a public cloud and wants to track usage for billing purposes. The cloud provider offers detailed reports on compute hours, data transfer, and storage consumed. Which cloud characteristic enables this granular billing? (Answer: Measured service)
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'measured service' with any change in service parameters, thinking that IP address changes are part of the provider's measurement or control, rather than understanding it as a resource pooling issue.
✗On-demand self-serviceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
On-demand self-service allows users to provision resources without human interaction, but it does not directly cause IP address changes; the IP change is due to the provider's resource pooling, where physical resources are shared and assigned dynamically.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asking which characteristic enables a user to spin up a virtual machine through a web portal without contacting the provider's IT staff would have on-demand self-service as the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the ability to provision resources on demand with the underlying mechanism that causes IP address changes, thinking that self-service implies control over IP assignment.
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?”
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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.