CV0-004 Deployment Practice Question
A cloud engineer is using Ansible to automate the configuration of cloud resources. The engineer needs to ensure that the automation does not require any agent software to be installed on the target nodes. Which characteristic of Ansible makes this possible?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse 'agentless' with 'no dependencies' — candidates may pick the pull-based option assuming Ansible works like Puppet, but Ansible is push-based by default and its agentless nature comes from SSH/WinRM, not from a pull model.
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
✓
It is agentless
Ansible is agentless because it communicates with managed nodes over standard SSH (Linux/Unix) or WinRM (Windows) rather than requiring a persistent agent daemon to be installed and maintained on each target. The control node pushes Python-based modules to the target at runtime, executes them, and removes them afterward. This is why option C directly answers the requirement that no agent software be installed on target nodes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It uses PowerShell Desired State Configuration
Why it's wrong here
PowerShell Desired State Configuration is a Microsoft configuration platform requiring its own agent and pull server on targets, so it cannot deliver agentless automation. It tempts because DSC is the right choice for Windows-centric estates already standardised on Microsoft tooling.
- ✗
It uses a master-agent architecture
Why it's wrong here
Ansible is agentless: it connects over SSH or WinRM and pushes modules to targets, so no agent is installed. A master-agent architecture is what agent-based tools such as Puppet or Chef use, and it would require installing and maintaining agent software on every managed node — precisely what this scenario forbids.
- ✓
It is agentless
Why this is correct
Ansible connects to target nodes over standard SSH or WinRM, pushing modules at runtime rather than relying on a persistent agent. This agentless architecture satisfies the constraint that no software be pre-installed on managed hosts.
- ✗
It requires a pull-based model
Why it's wrong here
Ansible's agentless operation comes from its push-based model, where the control node connects over SSH or WinRM; a pull-based model describes agent-based tools that poll a server. It tempts because pull architectures are the correct choice for large fleets needing autonomous convergence.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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