- A
An auto-scaling group of web servers
Auto-scaling groups automatically add or remove web server instances based on demand, which handles traffic spikes. When combined with a load balancer, they also support session persistence.
- B
A content delivery network (CDN)
Why wrong: A CDN caches static content to improve load times and reduce server load, but it does not handle dynamic session persistence or traffic spikes for the application itself.
- C
A single web server with a large instance type
Why wrong: A single web server is a single point of failure and cannot handle traffic spikes or maintain session persistence across multiple servers.
- D
A database cluster with replication
Why wrong: A database cluster provides data redundancy and availability, but does not directly handle web traffic spikes or session persistence at the application layer.
- E
A load balancer with session affinity
A load balancer distributes traffic and with session affinity (sticky sessions) ensures session persistence. It also improves availability by routing away from failed servers.
Quick Answer
The answer is a load balancer with session affinity and an auto-scaling group of web servers. These two infrastructure components work together to meet all three requirements: the auto-scaling group dynamically adds or removes web server instances based on traffic demand, ensuring the application remains available 24/7 and can handle sudden spikes, while the load balancer with session affinity (also called sticky sessions) distributes incoming requests across those servers but consistently routes a user’s session to the same server, preserving session persistence. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this question tests your understanding of how high availability and scaling are achieved through infrastructure design, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must pair a scalability solution with a traffic management solution. A common trap is selecting a single component like a content delivery network or database replication, which addresses availability but not session stickiness. Memory tip: think “auto-scale for load, sticky load balancer for sessions.”
PK0-005 Practice Question: Basics of IT Infrastructure and IT Project Management
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of basics of it infrastructure and it project management. 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 project manager is planning the deployment of a new web application. The IT team has identified the following requirements: the application must be accessible 24/7, handle traffic spikes, and maintain session persistence. Which TWO infrastructure components should the project manager include in the design to meet these requirements?
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
An auto-scaling group of web servers
An auto-scaling group of web servers (A) ensures the application can handle traffic spikes by automatically adding or removing instances based on demand, supporting 24/7 availability. A load balancer with session affinity (E) distributes traffic across the web servers while maintaining session persistence, ensuring that a user's requests are consistently routed to the same server. Together, these components address all three requirements: high availability, scalability, and session stickiness.
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.
- ✓
An auto-scaling group of web servers
Why this is correct
Auto-scaling groups automatically add or remove web server instances based on demand, which handles traffic spikes. When combined with a load balancer, they also support session persistence.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A content delivery network (CDN)
Why it's wrong here
A CDN caches static content to improve load times and reduce server load, but it does not handle dynamic session persistence or traffic spikes for the application itself.
- ✗
A single web server with a large instance type
Why it's wrong here
A single web server is a single point of failure and cannot handle traffic spikes or maintain session persistence across multiple servers.
- ✗
A database cluster with replication
Why it's wrong here
A database cluster provides data redundancy and availability, but does not directly handle web traffic spikes or session persistence at the application layer.
- ✓
A load balancer with session affinity
Why this is correct
A load balancer distributes traffic and with session affinity (sticky sessions) ensures session persistence. It also improves availability by routing away from failed servers.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between infrastructure components that handle compute scaling versus those that handle content delivery or data persistence; the trap here is that candidates may confuse a CDN's caching capability with the need for dynamic web server scaling and session stickiness, or assume that a single large server is sufficient for high availability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Auto-scaling groups rely on launch templates and scaling policies (e.g., based on CPU utilization or request count) to dynamically adjust capacity, often integrating with a load balancer's target group. Session affinity, also known as sticky sessions, is typically implemented via a load balancer using cookies (e.g., AWS ALB's stickiness cookie) or source IP hashing, which ensures that a user's session state stored in-memory on a specific web server is not lost. In real-world scenarios, if session data is not externalized (e.g., to Redis or a database), losing session affinity can cause users to be logged out or lose shopping cart data during traffic spikes.
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 PK0-005 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PK0-005 question test?
Basics of IT Infrastructure and IT Project Management — This question tests Basics of IT Infrastructure and IT Project Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: An auto-scaling group of web servers — An auto-scaling group of web servers (A) ensures the application can handle traffic spikes by automatically adding or removing instances based on demand, supporting 24/7 availability. A load balancer with session affinity (E) distributes traffic across the web servers while maintaining session persistence, ensuring that a user's requests are consistently routed to the same server. Together, these components address all three requirements: high availability, scalability, and session stickiness.
What should I do if I get this PK0-005 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PK0-005
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A project manager is deploying a new web application to a cloud environment. The application requires high availability and automatic scaling based on traffic. Which IT infrastructure component should the project manager use to meet these requirements?
easy- ✓ A.Load balancer
- B.Firewall
- C.DNS server
- D.VPN concentrator
Why A: A load balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple instances of the web application, enabling high availability by rerouting traffic if an instance fails, and automatic scaling by integrating with cloud auto-scaling groups to add or remove instances based on demand. This directly meets the requirements for both high availability and automatic scaling.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This PK0-005 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 PK0-005 exam.
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