AZ-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
Which cloud deployment model combines on-premises infrastructure with public cloud resources, allowing data and applications to be shared between them?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse hybrid cloud with 'public cloud' or 'private cloud' because they assume any cloud usage with on-premises is hybrid, but hybrid specifically requires integrated orchestration and data sharing between both environments, not just separate usage.
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
✓
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud deployment model explicitly combines on-premises infrastructure (private cloud or local datacenter) with public cloud resources, enabling data and application portability through technologies like VPNs, dedicated interconnects, or orchestration tools. This model allows workloads to burst to the public cloud during peak demand while keeping sensitive data on-premises, fulfilling the scenario described in the question.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Public cloud
Why it's wrong here
Public cloud is a deployment model where all computing resources, such as servers, storage, and applications, are hosted and managed by a third-party provider like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, or Google Cloud Platform, and delivered over the internet. This model does not include any on-premises infrastructure, so it cannot combine on-premises datacenter resources with cloud services. Because the scenario explicitly describes integrating on-premises components with public cloud resources, the public cloud alone is the wrong choice.
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Private cloud
Why it's wrong here
Private cloud is a deployment model dedicated to a single organization, with computing resources either hosted on-premises or in a separately managed data center, providing high levels of control and security. While a private cloud can include on-premises infrastructure, it does not inherently incorporate public cloud resources or services. Since the scenario requires a combination of on-premises and public cloud environments, private cloud alone does not satisfy the described workload mobility and resource integration.
- ✓
Hybrid cloud
Why this is correct
Hybrid cloud is a deployment model that integrates an organization's on-premises infrastructure or private cloud with public cloud services, enabling data and application portability between the two environments. This architecture allows workloads to leverage the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the public cloud while retaining critical systems on-premises, often through technologies like VPN, dedicated circuits, or Azure Arc. The scenario directly describes this on-premises-plus-public-cloud integration, making hybrid cloud the correct answer.
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Community cloud
Why it's wrong here
Community cloud is a deployment model where cloud infrastructure is shared among multiple organizations from a specific community with common concerns, such as compliance, security, or regulatory requirements, like government agencies or healthcare institutions. This model is typically hosted by a third party or one of the member organizations, but it does not inherently combine on-premises infrastructure with public cloud resources. Because the scenario focuses on combining an organization's on-premises environment with public cloud services rather than multi-organizational shared infrastructure, community cloud is incorrect.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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What is Cloud Computing?
Key term
Public cloud
A public cloud is a computing model where third-party providers deliver IT resources like servers, storage, and applications over the internet to multiple customers on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Key term
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud is a computing environment that combines a private cloud (on-premises infrastructure) with one or more public cloud services, allowing data and applications to be shared between them.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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