Cloud Digital Leader Fundamental Cloud Concepts Practice Question
Which of the following is a characteristic of the cloud according to the NIST definition?
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
✓
Measured service
Measured service is one of the five essential characteristics of cloud computing as defined by NIST.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Measured service
Why this is correct
Measured service is the cloud attribute whereby the provider continuously meters, monitors, and controls resource usage (compute, storage, networking) to provide transparent, pay-per-use billing. This metering enables cost optimization by allowing customers to align spending with actual consumption, and it is a core NIST essential characteristic that distinguishes cloud from traditional IT.
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Manual scaling
Why it's wrong here
Manual scaling is not a cloud characteristic; NIST's essential characteristic of rapid elasticity requires automatic scaling, where resources can be provisioned or released in response to demand changes without human interaction. Manual scaling would impose manual intervention, violating the self-service and automation principles that define cloud elasticity.
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Limited network access
Why it's wrong here
Limited network access is the opposite of NIST's broad network access, which mandates that cloud capabilities are available over the network via standard protocols and accessible by heterogeneous client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and workstations). Restricting network access would undermine the fundamental utility-style availability of cloud services.
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Single tenancy
Why it's wrong here
Single tenancy conflicts with NIST's resource pooling, where the provider uses a multi-tenant model to dynamically assign physical and virtual resources among multiple consumers based on demand. Single tenancy dedicates infrastructure to one customer, negating the economies of scale, sharing, and abstraction that are hallmarks of cloud computing.
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Cloud Digital Transformation
Key term
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the internet, allowing users to access computing power, storage, and applications without owning physical hardware.
Key term
Service
A service is a software component or system that performs a specific function and is available to be used by other programs or users over a network.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This GCDL practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud 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 GCDL exam.