- A
A public subnet with an internet gateway so the workload can be reached directly.
Why wrong: This is convenient for access, but it prioritizes exposure over tenant isolation and is not the strongest containment option.
- B
A shared-tenancy virtual machine in the provider's default compute pool.
Why wrong: Shared tenancy is cost-effective, but it does not provide the strongest separation from other customers.
- C
A dedicated host or equivalent single-tenant compute placement in the provider's environment.
Single-tenant placement offers the best isolation from other customers while still letting the provider manage the physical infrastructure.
- D
A serverless function because it removes all underlying infrastructure concerns.
Why wrong: Serverless abstracts infrastructure, but it is not the same as dedicated single-tenant placement for a regulated workload.
SY0-701 Security Architecture Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 regulated analytics workload must run in the cloud with the strongest isolation from other customers, but the company does not want to manage its own physical server room. Which placement is most appropriate?
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
A dedicated host or equivalent single-tenant compute placement in the provider's environment.
Option C is correct because a dedicated host or single-tenant compute placement ensures that the physical server is not shared with any other customer, providing the strongest isolation required for regulated workloads. This model meets the compliance need for physical separation while still being a cloud service, so the company avoids managing its own server room.
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.
- ✗
A public subnet with an internet gateway so the workload can be reached directly.
Why it's wrong here
This is convenient for access, but it prioritizes exposure over tenant isolation and is not the strongest containment option.
- ✗
A shared-tenancy virtual machine in the provider's default compute pool.
Why it's wrong here
Shared tenancy is cost-effective, but it does not provide the strongest separation from other customers.
- ✓
A dedicated host or equivalent single-tenant compute placement in the provider's environment.
Why this is correct
Single-tenant placement offers the best isolation from other customers while still letting the provider manage the physical infrastructure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A serverless function because it removes all underlying infrastructure concerns.
Why it's wrong here
Serverless abstracts infrastructure, but it is not the same as dedicated single-tenant placement for a regulated workload.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse logical isolation (e.g., VPCs, private subnets) with physical isolation, and mistakenly choose a shared-tenancy option like a private subnet VM, thinking it provides the strongest separation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Dedicated hosts (e.g., AWS Dedicated Host, Azure Dedicated Host) allow you to have a physical server fully allocated to your use, with visibility into socket/core counts and the ability to bring your own server-bound software licenses. Under the hood, the hypervisor still manages the host, but no other customer's instances can be placed on that physical machine, satisfying compliance frameworks like PCI DSS or HIPAA that require physical separation. In a real-world scenario, a financial institution processing credit card data might choose dedicated hosts to meet PCI Requirement 9 (physical security) while still benefiting from cloud elasticity.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
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 SY0-701 question test?
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A dedicated host or equivalent single-tenant compute placement in the provider's environment. — Option C is correct because a dedicated host or single-tenant compute placement ensures that the physical server is not shared with any other customer, providing the strongest isolation required for regulated workloads. This model meets the compliance need for physical separation while still being a cloud service, so the company avoids managing its own server room.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.
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