This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe cloud concepts. 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.
Which type of cloud service model would a company typically use for hosting their own custom web application where they manage the code but not the server operating system?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
PaaS (Platform as a Service)
PaaS (Platform as a Service) is correct because the company manages only the application code and data, while the cloud provider handles the underlying server operating system, runtime, middleware, and infrastructure. This aligns with the scenario where the customer controls the custom web application but not the OS.
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.
✗
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
Why it's wrong here
IaaS would require managing the OS and server — PaaS abstracts this for web app hosting.
✓
PaaS (Platform as a Service)
Why this is correct
PaaS lets developers deploy custom app code without managing OS or server infrastructure (Azure App Service).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
SaaS (Software as a Service)
Why it's wrong here
SaaS is pre-built software accessed by end users; PaaS is for deploying custom applications.
✗
FaaS (Function as a Service)
Why it's wrong here
FaaS is serverless functions; PaaS (App Service) is the typical model for full web applications.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse PaaS with IaaS because they think 'managing the code' implies full control over the server, but PaaS still abstracts the OS while IaaS requires OS management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In PaaS, the provider abstracts the OS and runtime stack (e.g., .NET, Java, Node.js) via a managed environment such as Azure App Service. The customer deploys code via Git, FTP, or CI/CD pipelines, while the provider handles OS patching, load balancing, and auto-scaling. A real-world scenario is deploying a Django web app on Azure App Service without managing the underlying Windows or Linux VM.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-900 question in full detail.
Describe cloud concepts — This question tests Describe cloud concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: PaaS (Platform as a Service) — PaaS (Platform as a Service) is correct because the company manages only the application code and data, while the cloud provider handles the underlying server operating system, runtime, middleware, and infrastructure. This aligns with the scenario where the customer controls the custom web application but not the OS.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 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.
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Question Discussion
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