easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
CV0-004 Practice Question: A cloud administrator is planning a migration of…
A cloud administrator is planning a migration of on-premises workloads to the cloud. Which TWO factors should be considered when selecting the appropriate cloud service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that security compliance or scalability are primary factors for service model selection, when in fact they are operational requirements that apply across all models, while control over the OS and runtime is the key differentiator.
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
✓
The level of control required over the operating system and runtime environment.
The level of control over the operating system and runtime environment is a defining factor when choosing between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. IaaS provides full control over the OS and runtime, PaaS abstracts the OS and runtime but allows control over application deployment, and SaaS offers no control over the underlying infrastructure. This directly impacts migration decisions, especially for legacy applications that require specific OS configurations or custom runtime dependencies.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The scalability requirements of the application.
Why it's wrong here
All cloud models offer scalability.
- ✓
The level of control required over the operating system and runtime environment.
Why this is correct
Determines if IaaS (full control) or PaaS (less control) is needed.
- ✗
The security compliance requirements for data at rest.
Why it's wrong here
Security is important but not a deciding factor between service models.
- ✓
The compatibility of the application with managed database or middleware services.
Why this is correct
If app uses compatible services, PaaS/SaaS may be viable.
- ✗
The total cost of ownership compared to on-premises.
Why it's wrong here
Cost is a consideration but not a primary factor for service model selection.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CV0-004 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 CV0-004 exam.