The answer is that the health check path does not exist on the instances. When a load balancer health check path is incorrect, the target instances return a non-2xx status code—typically a 404 Not Found or 403 Forbidden—because the specified URL path is missing or misconfigured. Since the health check relies on receiving a successful HTTP response (usually 200 OK) from that exact path, any failure causes the load balancer to mark all instances as unhealthy, even if the applications themselves are running fine. On the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how application-layer health checks differ from simple port checks; a common trap is to assume the instances are down or the load balancer is misconfigured, when the real issue is a typo or missing endpoint in the health check configuration. A useful memory tip: think of the health check path as a “secret handshake”—if the server doesn’t recognize the gesture, it won’t be let into the pool.
CV0-004 Operations and Support Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of operations and support. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A cloud administrator notices that a load balancer is marking all instances as unhealthy. The health check is configured to check a specific URL path. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The health check path does not exist on the instances.
The health check is configured to check a specific URL path. If that path does not exist on the instances (e.g., returns a 404 or 403 status), the load balancer will consider the instances unhealthy. This is the most direct cause because the health check relies on a successful HTTP response (typically 200 OK) from that exact path.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 health check path does not exist on the instances.
Why this is correct
If the path is missing, the load balancer receives non-200 responses.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The auto scaling group's minimum size is too low.
Why it's wrong here
Scaling group size does not affect individual health check status.
✗
The security group for the instances blocks traffic from the load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
If blocked, health checks would never succeed, but load balancer traffic is typically allowed.
✗
The instances are under high CPU load.
Why it's wrong here
CPU load alone does not cause health check failure unless the application becomes unresponsive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between connectivity issues (security groups, network ACLs) and application-level health check failures, leading candidates to incorrectly choose security group misconfiguration when the real issue is a missing or misconfigured health check endpoint.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Load balancer health checks work by sending an HTTP GET request to the configured path (e.g., /health) and expecting a 2xx or 3xx response. If the path returns a 404 (Not Found) or 403 (Forbidden), the health check fails. This is a common misconfiguration when the health check endpoint is not deployed or the application's routing does not include that path. In AWS, the ELB health check also respects the configured 'HealthyThreshold' and 'UnhealthyThreshold' values, but the root cause is the missing path.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Operations and Support — This question tests Operations and Support — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The health check path does not exist on the instances. — The health check is configured to check a specific URL path. If that path does not exist on the instances (e.g., returns a 404 or 403 status), the load balancer will consider the instances unhealthy. This is the most direct cause because the health check relies on a successful HTTP response (typically 200 OK) from that exact path.
What should I do if I get this CV0-004 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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