The answer is to configure the load balancer to route traffic to both availability zones and launch EC2 instances in at least two availability zones. This is correct because high availability across availability zones requires distributing compute resources across physically isolated data centers within a region, so that if one zone fails, the load balancer seamlessly redirects traffic to the healthy zone, preventing a single point of failure. On the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam, this concept tests your understanding of fault tolerance and redundancy in cloud architecture; a common trap is assuming that simply enabling the load balancer or using multiple instances in a single zone is sufficient. Remember the memory tip: “Two zones, two instances, one balancer” — the load balancer is the traffic cop, but it needs cars (instances) on both sides of the street (zones) to keep the application running.
CV0-004 Deployment Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is deploying a web application that must be highly available across two availability zones. The deployment includes an application load balancer and multiple EC2 instances. Which TWO configurations are required to meet the high availability requirement?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Launch EC2 instances in at least two availability zones
Option A is correct because launching EC2 instances in at least two availability zones ensures that if one AZ fails, the application continues to serve traffic from the other AZ. This is a fundamental requirement for achieving high availability across AZs, as it distributes the compute capacity across physically separate data centers.
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.
✓
Launch EC2 instances in at least two availability zones
Why this is correct
Distributes instances across zones to withstand zone failure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use a single EC2 instance with an auto-recovery policy
Why it's wrong here
Single instance is a single point of failure.
✗
Set up health checks to automatically replace unhealthy instances
Why it's wrong here
Health checks are operational, not a deployment requirement for HA.
✓
Configure the load balancer to route traffic to both availability zones
Why this is correct
Ensures traffic reaches instances in both zones.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable cross-zone load balancing on the ALB
Why it's wrong here
Cross-zone distributes traffic within a region, not a high availability requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse cross-zone load balancing (which optimizes traffic distribution) with the fundamental requirement of deploying resources across multiple AZs, leading them to select Option E instead of recognizing that multi-AZ instance placement is the non-negotiable prerequisite for high availability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, an Application Load Balancer (ALB) operates at Layer 7 and maintains separate target group health checks per AZ. When you deploy EC2 instances in two AZs, the ALB's DNS name resolves to multiple IP addresses, one per AZ, allowing clients to reach the load balancer even if one AZ's IP becomes unreachable. In a real-world scenario, if you only use cross-zone load balancing without multi-AZ instances, a single AZ failure would still take down all instances, making the application unavailable.
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 practitioner preparing for the CV0-004 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Launch EC2 instances in at least two availability zones — Option A is correct because launching EC2 instances in at least two availability zones ensures that if one AZ fails, the application continues to serve traffic from the other AZ. This is a fundamental requirement for achieving high availability across AZs, as it distributes the compute capacity across physically separate data centers.
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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