The correct answer is to assign Elastic IP addresses to the instances. This solution works because an Elastic IP is a static public IP that remains fixed even when the underlying instance is stopped or replaced, directly satisfying the legacy licensing requirement for a persistent public IPv4 address. On the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of cost-effective networking solutions—Elastic IPs are free when attached to a running instance, with charges only applying to unused allocations, making them far cheaper than provisioning a NAT gateway or a dedicated VPN. A common trap is assuming you need a separate load balancer or VPN appliance, but those add unnecessary cost and complexity. Remember the memory tip: “Elastic IPs are free while in use, costly when loose”—as long as the IP is attached to a running resource, you avoid extra fees.
CV0-004 Operations and Support Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of operations and support. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company is migrating a legacy application that requires static public IP addresses for licensing. The cloud provider assigns public IPs dynamically by default. Which solution should the administrator recommend while minimizing cost?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Assign elastic IP addresses (or static public IPs) to the instances.
Option B is correct because Elastic IP addresses (or static public IPs) provide persistent public IPv4 addresses that can be associated with instances, meeting the licensing requirement for static public IPs. This is the most cost-effective solution as it only incurs charges for allocated but unused Elastic IPs, whereas other options introduce additional infrastructure costs or fail to address the requirement.
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.
✗
Use a NAT gateway with a static IP.
Why it's wrong here
NAT gateways provide outbound traffic only; they do not allow inbound connections to instances.
✓
Assign elastic IP addresses (or static public IPs) to the instances.
Why this is correct
Elastic IPs are static public IPs that can be associated with instances at no cost while in use.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use static private IPs.
Why it's wrong here
Private IPs are not accessible from the internet, so they cannot be used for licensing that requires public IPs.
✗
Use a VPN connection.
Why it's wrong here
A VPN does not provide static public IPs for the instances.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose a NATgateway (Option A) thinking it provides a static public IP for the instance, but a NAT gateway only translates outbound traffic and does not assign a public IP to the instance for inbound licensing checks, while also incurring higher costs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Elastic IPs are static public IPv4 addresses allocated from the provider's pool and remain associated with an account until explicitly released. Under the hood, they use 1:1 NAT to map the Elastic IP to the instance's private IP, and the instance itself is unaware of the public IP; this allows the IP to be remapped to a different instance for high availability. In real-world scenarios, licensing servers often validate against the public IP seen in incoming packets, so the Elastic IP must be directly assigned to the instance's primary network interface.
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: Assign elastic IP addresses (or static public IPs) to the instances. — Option B is correct because Elastic IP addresses (or static public IPs) provide persistent public IPv4 addresses that can be associated with instances, meeting the licensing requirement for static public IPs. This is the most cost-effective solution as it only incurs charges for allocated but unused Elastic IPs, whereas other options introduce additional infrastructure costs or fail to address the requirement.
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.
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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