The answer is a mismatched health check path causing intermittent failures. This is correct because when the application update changes the health endpoint from '/health' to '/status', the load balancer continues polling the old path and receives a successful response from a different page or a default route, masking the actual server health. The load balancer then marks both servers as healthy and continues sending traffic, but requests that hit the updated application expecting the new endpoint may fail sporadically, creating the intermittent pattern. On the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of health check configuration dependencies and the importance of aligning health check paths with the current application state—a common trap is assuming a 200 response always means true health. Remember the memory tip: “Path mismatch equals phantom health,” meaning a wrong path gives false positives, not real availability.
CV0-004 Deployment Practice Question
This CV0-004 practice question tests your understanding of deployment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
frontend web_frontend
bind *:80
default_backend web_servers
backend web_servers
balance roundrobin
server web1 10.0.1.10:80 check
server web2 10.0.1.11:80 check
Health check configuration (excerpt):
option httpchk GET /health
http-check expect status 200
Refer to the exhibit. After deploying a new version of the application, users report that some requests fail intermittently. The administrator checks the load balancer configuration and health checks, and both servers are marked as healthy. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the intermittent failures?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
frontend web_frontend
bind *:80
default_backend web_servers
backend web_servers
balance roundrobin
server web1 10.0.1.10:80 check
server web2 10.0.1.11:80 check
Health check configuration (excerpt):
option httpchk GET /health
http-check expect status 200
A
The health check interval is too short, marking servers down incorrectly.
Why wrong: Servers are marked healthy, so health check interval is not causing false negatives.
B
The backend servers are not configured to accept traffic on port 80.
Why wrong: If servers were not on port 80, health checks would fail and servers would be marked down.
C
The health check path '/health' is no longer valid after the application update.
After an update, the health check endpoint might change; if the load balancer still points to the old path, servers may be considered healthy but actually serve errors on the new application.
D
The load balancer is configured for round-robin, which is causing session persistence issues.
Why wrong: Round-robin without session persistence can cause issues for stateful applications, but the question does not mention session state.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The health check path '/health' is no longer valid after the application update.
Option D is correct because the health check is using the path '/health', but the application may have changed its health endpoint to '/status' after the update. This would cause the load balancer to think servers are healthy when they are not responding correctly to the new health check path.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 health check interval is too short, marking servers down incorrectly.
Why it's wrong here
Servers are marked healthy, so health check interval is not causing false negatives.
✗
The backend servers are not configured to accept traffic on port 80.
Why it's wrong here
If servers were not on port 80, health checks would fail and servers would be marked down.
✓
The health check path '/health' is no longer valid after the application update.
Why this is correct
After an update, the health check endpoint might change; if the load balancer still points to the old path, servers may be considered healthy but actually serve errors on the new application.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The load balancer is configured for round-robin, which is causing session persistence issues.
Why it's wrong here
Round-robin without session persistence can cause issues for stateful applications, but the question does not mention session state.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CV0-004 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Deployment — This question tests Deployment — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The health check path '/health' is no longer valid after the application update. — Option D is correct because the health check is using the path '/health', but the application may have changed its health endpoint to '/status' after the update. This would cause the load balancer to think servers are healthy when they are not responding correctly to the new health check path.
What should I do if I get this CV0-004 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CV0-004 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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