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CV0-004 Practice Question: A cloud operations team receives an alert that…
A cloud operations team receives an alert that the CPU usage of a VM has exceeded 90% for the past 30 minutes. The VM is part of an auto-scaling group configured to scale out when CPU exceeds 80% for 5 minutes. However, no new instances have been launched. What is the MOST likely reason the auto-scaling failed to trigger?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often assume a high CPU alarm always triggers a scale-out, overlooking the cooldown period which is a deliberate mechanism to throttle scaling actions and maintain stability.
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 auto-scaling group is in a cooldown period after a previous scaling action.
The auto-scaling group failed to trigger because it was in a cooldown period after a previous scaling action. Cooldown periods are designed to prevent rapid, successive scaling events that could destabilize the environment. During this time, the auto-scaling group ignores new alarms, even if the CPU threshold is exceeded, until the cooldown timer expires.
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 VM failed a health check and is being replaced.
Why it's wrong here
Health checks affect instance replacement, not scaling.
- ✓
The auto-scaling group is in a cooldown period after a previous scaling action.
Why this is correct
Cooldown periods prevent rapid successive scaling actions.
- ✗
The auto-scaling group has reached the minimum instance count.
Why it's wrong here
Minimum instance count applies to scaling down, not up.
- ✗
The CPU threshold is set too high.
Why it's wrong here
The threshold is 80% and current usage is 90%, so it should trigger.
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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.