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CV0-004 Practice Question: A cloud architect is designing an auto-scaling…
A cloud architect is designing an auto-scaling policy for a web application that experiences predictable traffic spikes every weekday morning from 8 to 10 AM. The application runs on a group of virtual machines behind a load balancer. Which scaling approach is MOST cost-effective while ensuring performance during the spike?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between reactive (dynamic) and proactive (scheduled) scaling, where candidates mistakenly choose dynamic scaling for predictable patterns because they assume it is always the most efficient, ignoring the latency of metric-based triggers.
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
✓
Scheduled scaling to increase capacity before 8 AM and decrease after 10 AM
Scheduled scaling is the most cost-effective approach because the traffic pattern is predictable (every weekday 8–10 AM). By configuring the auto-scaling group to add instances before the spike and remove them after, you avoid paying for idle resources during off-peak hours while ensuring capacity is ready when needed. This approach directly matches the known schedule without relying on reactive metrics or manual intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Dynamic scaling based on CPU utilization threshold
Why it's wrong here
Dynamic scaling reacts to metrics, which can cause a delay and may not handle the rapid spike effectively.
- ✗
Proactive scaling using machine learning to predict spikes
Why it's wrong here
Proactive scaling can be expensive to implement and may be overkill for a simple predictable pattern.
- ✗
Manual scaling by the operations team each morning
Why it's wrong here
Manual scaling is not cost-effective or reliable for daily predictable spikes.
- ✓
Scheduled scaling to increase capacity before 8 AM and decrease after 10 AM
Why this is correct
Scheduled scaling directly matches the predictable pattern, ensuring resources are ready in advance and minimizing waste.
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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.