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CV0-004 Practice Question: A cloud administrator needs to deploy a web…
A cloud administrator needs to deploy a web application in a public cloud. The application must automatically scale out based on CPU utilization and scale in during low demand. Which of the following is the BEST approach?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between horizontal scaling (adding/removing instances) and vertical scaling (resizing instances), where candidates mistakenly choose vertical scaling (Option B) because it seems simpler, but it does not provide the elasticity required for cloud-native applications.
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
✓
Configure an auto scaling group with a scaling policy based on average CPU utilization
An auto scaling group with a scaling policy based on average CPU utilization is the best approach because it dynamically adjusts the number of instances in response to real-time demand. This method uses CloudWatch metrics to trigger scale-out when CPU exceeds a threshold (e.g., 70%) and scale-in when it drops, ensuring the application remains responsive while minimizing cost during low usage.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure an auto scaling group with a scaling policy based on average CPU utilization
Why this is correct
Auto scaling with CPU metric provides automated horizontal scaling.
- ✗
Use a script to increase the instance size when CPU exceeds 80%
Why it's wrong here
Vertical scaling is less elastic and not best practice for web apps.
- ✗
Implement scheduled scaling to add instances during business hours
Why it's wrong here
Scheduled scaling is proactive, not reactive to CPU.
- ✗
Create a load balancer and manually add instances during peak hours
Why it's wrong here
Manual scaling is not automated.
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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.