CCSP Cloud Concepts, Architecture, and Design Practice Question
A cloud architect is designing a system for a media streaming company that experiences unpredictable spikes in viewer demand during live events. The company wants to minimize infrastructure costs during periods of low demand while maintaining the ability to handle sudden increases in traffic. The architect proposes using a cloud deployment model that provides rapid elasticity and measured service. Which cloud deployment model BEST meets these requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a hybrid cloud is always the best choice for handling variable demand because it combines private and public resources, but the scenario does not require a private component, making public cloud the simpler and more cost-effective solution.
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
✓
Public cloud
The public cloud model is designed to provide on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. These characteristics allow the media streaming company to automatically scale resources during live events and reduce costs when demand is low. Private, community, and hybrid models do not offer the same combination of rapid elasticity and cost efficiency for unpredictable workloads.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Private cloud
Why it's wrong here
A private cloud is dedicated to a single organization and offers greater control and security, but it does not provide the rapid elasticity and cost efficiency of a public cloud because the organization must provision and maintain its own hardware. During low demand, the organization still pays for idle resources, which contradicts the goal of minimizing costs during low-demand periods.
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Hybrid cloud
Why it's wrong here
A hybrid cloud combines private and public clouds, offering flexibility, but it introduces complexity in managing workloads across environments. While it can provide elasticity by bursting to the public cloud, it is not the simplest or most cost-effective solution for a company that only needs to handle unpredictable spikes; a public cloud alone would suffice.
- ✓
Public cloud
Why this is correct
A public cloud provides on-demand self-service, rapid elasticity, and measured service, allowing the streaming company to scale resources up during spikes and down during low demand, paying only for what is used. This aligns with the requirements of minimizing costs during low demand while handling sudden increases in traffic.
- ✗
Community cloud
Why it's wrong here
A community cloud is shared by several organizations with common concerns, which can reduce costs, but it is not designed for rapid elasticity on demand for a single company's unpredictable spikes. The shared nature may also limit the ability to scale quickly because resources are pooled and governed by the community, not solely by the streaming company.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.