- A
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why wrong: In IaaS, the cloud provider supplies virtualized computing resources (e.g., virtual machines), but the customer is responsible for managing the operating system, runtime, and applications. This does not meet the requirement of avoiding infrastructure management.
- B
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
PaaS provides a fully managed platform that includes the operating system, language runtime, and middleware. Developers can deploy web applications without worrying about underlying servers or scaling, matching the scenario exactly.
- C
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Why wrong: SaaS offers complete, ready-to-use software applications over the internet (e.g., Office 365). The customer does not write or deploy code; they simply use the application. Since the team wants to develop and deploy their own code, SaaS is not appropriate.
- D
Function as a Service (FaaS)
Why wrong: FaaS (e.g., Azure Functions) is a serverless compute service for running individual functions triggered by events. While it abstracts infrastructure, it is designed for discrete functions, not for hosting a full web application. PaaS (like Azure App Service) is more suitable for this scenario.
Quick Answer
The answer is Platform as a Service (PaaS). This is correct because PaaS abstracts away the underlying infrastructure—virtual machines, operating systems, and runtime environments—so developers can deploy and scale application code without managing any of those layers. In this scenario, the cloud provider handles the platform updates, patching, and automatic scaling, letting the team focus purely on writing code. On the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 exam, this type of scenario tests your ability to distinguish between the three core cloud service models: IaaS gives you control over VMs and OS, PaaS provides a managed hosting environment for custom code, and SaaS delivers ready-to-use applications. A common trap is confusing PaaS with IaaS when the question mentions deploying code—remember that if you don’t manage the OS or runtime, it’s PaaS. Memory tip: think “PaaS = Platform, not Patching” to recall that the provider handles the infrastructure upkeep.
AZ-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
This AZ-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe cloud concepts. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 company is developing a new web application. The development team wants to deploy the application code without having to manage the underlying virtual machines, operating systems, or runtime environments. They only want to focus on writing code and let the cloud provider handle the infrastructure, platform, and scaling automatically. Which cloud service model does this scenario describe?
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
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
This scenario describes Platform as a Service (PaaS) because the development team wants to deploy application code without managing the underlying virtual machines, operating systems, or runtime environments. PaaS provides a managed hosting environment where the cloud provider handles infrastructure, platform updates, and automatic scaling, allowing developers to focus solely on writing and deploying code. In contrast, IaaS would require managing VMs and OS, while SaaS delivers fully built applications, not a platform for custom code deployment.
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.
- ✗
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Why it's wrong here
In IaaS, the cloud provider supplies virtualized computing resources (e.g., virtual machines), but the customer is responsible for managing the operating system, runtime, and applications. This does not meet the requirement of avoiding infrastructure management.
- ✓
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Why this is correct
PaaS provides a fully managed platform that includes the operating system, language runtime, and middleware. Developers can deploy web applications without worrying about underlying servers or scaling, matching the scenario exactly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Why it's wrong here
SaaS offers complete, ready-to-use software applications over the internet (e.g., Office 365). The customer does not write or deploy code; they simply use the application. Since the team wants to develop and deploy their own code, SaaS is not appropriate.
- ✗
Function as a Service (FaaS)
Why it's wrong here
FaaS (e.g., Azure Functions) is a serverless compute service for running individual functions triggered by events. While it abstracts infrastructure, it is designed for discrete functions, not for hosting a full web application. PaaS (like Azure App Service) is more suitable for this scenario.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse PaaS with IaaS because both involve deploying applications, but IaaS requires managing the OS and runtime, while PaaS abstracts them entirely—a distinction Microsoft emphasizes by highlighting 'no OS management' as the key differentiator.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
FaaS (e.g., Azure Functions) is a serverless compute service for running individual functions triggered by events. While it abstracts infrastructure, it is designed for discrete functions, not for hosting a full web application. PaaS (like Azure App Service) is more suitable for this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PaaS abstracts the underlying compute layer using containerization (e.g., Docker) or serverless functions (e.g., Azure App Service), automatically scaling based on demand via load balancers and auto-scaling rules. Under the hood, PaaS platforms like Azure App Service use a sandboxed runtime environment with pre-configured stacks (e.g., .NET, Node.js) and handle OS patching, health monitoring, and traffic routing through a front-end proxy. A real-world scenario is deploying a Node.js web app to Azure App Service, where the developer only uploads code and the platform manages IIS, process recycling, and SSL termination.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
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: Platform as a Service (PaaS) — This scenario describes Platform as a Service (PaaS) because the development team wants to deploy application code without managing the underlying virtual machines, operating systems, or runtime environments. PaaS provides a managed hosting environment where the cloud provider handles infrastructure, platform updates, and automatic scaling, allowing developers to focus solely on writing and deploying code. In contrast, IaaS would require managing VMs and OS, while SaaS delivers fully built applications, not a platform for custom code deployment.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft 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 AZ-900 exam.
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