AZ-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
A company hosts a web application on Azure App Service. The application must be accessible from any internet-connected device, including smartphones and laptops. Employees also use the Azure portal and Azure CLI from various locations to manage the application and other Azure resources. This scenario best illustrates which characteristic of cloud computing?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse 'broad network access' with 'on-demand self-service' because both involve user interaction, but broad network access specifically focuses on network-based accessibility from diverse devices and locations, not the ability to provision resources without human intervention.
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
✓
Broad network access
Broad network access is the correct characteristic because the scenario explicitly describes the web application being accessible from any internet-connected device (smartphones, laptops) and employees managing resources via the Azure portal and CLI from various locations. This aligns with the NIST definition of broad network access, where resources are available over the network and accessed through standard protocols (e.g., HTTPS, SSH) by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
On-demand self-service
Why it's wrong here
On-demand self-service refers to a consumer's ability to provision and manage computing resources without requiring human interaction with service providers. The scenario focuses on accessibility of an already deployed application and management tools, not on provisioning or self-service capabilities.
When this WOULD be correct
A question describing a user provisioning a virtual machine through the Azure portal without contacting IT support, or automatically scaling resources based on demand, would make on-demand self-service the correct answer.
- ✓
Broad network access
Why this is correct
Broad network access is the correct characteristic. It describes how cloud resources are universally accessible over the network through standard protocols, enabling users to connect from various devices and locations. The web application being accessible via HTTPS from smartphones, laptops, and the use of Azure portal/CLI from anywhere exemplifies this.
- ✗
Resource pooling
Why it's wrong here
Resource pooling refers to the cloud provider's ability to serve multiple customers from shared physical and virtual resources, dynamically assigning them based on demand. This scenario does not describe multi-tenancy or shared infrastructure; it only highlights how users access the cloud services.
When this WOULD be correct
A company uses a shared Azure SQL Database instance that automatically scales to meet demand, and multiple customers' data is stored on the same physical server. This scenario illustrates resource pooling because computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers.
- ✗
Measured service
Why it's wrong here
Measured service is the cloud characteristic where usage is metered, monitored, and reported to both provider and consumer, enabling transparent pay-as-you-go billing and cost optimization. The scenario describes only how users access the web app and management planes over HTTPS, with no mention of usage telemetry, consumption metrics, or billing implications. Therefore, this characteristic, while fundamental to cloud economics, is not what the accessibility example illustrates.
When this WOULD be correct
A company uses Azure to host a web application and wants to pay only for the compute resources consumed, with detailed usage reports for cost allocation. This scenario would illustrate measured service.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Broad network accessCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Broad network access is the correct characteristic. It describes how cloud resources are universally accessible over the network through standard protocols, enabling users to connect from various devices and locations. The web application being accessible via HTTPS from smartphones, laptops, and the use of Azure portal/CLI from anywhere exemplifies this.
✗On-demand self-serviceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The scenario emphasizes accessibility from any device and location, which aligns with broad network access, not the ability to provision resources without human interaction (on-demand self-service).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question describing a user provisioning a virtual machine through the Azure portal without contacting IT support, or automatically scaling resources based on demand, would make on-demand self-service the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the ability to access and manage resources from anywhere (broad network access) with the self-service provisioning aspect, especially since both involve user-initiated actions without direct provider intervention.
✗Resource poolingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Resource pooling refers to the provider's multi-tenant model where computing resources are shared across customers, but the question emphasizes accessibility from various devices and locations, which is about broad network access, not resource sharing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company uses a shared Azure SQL Database instance that automatically scales to meet demand, and multiple customers' data is stored on the same physical server. This scenario illustrates resource pooling because computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the concept of shared resources (resource pooling) with the ability to access resources from anywhere, mistakenly thinking that 'pooling' enables broad access.
✗Measured serviceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Measured service refers to the metering and billing of cloud resources based on usage, but the scenario focuses on accessibility from various devices and locations, not on usage tracking or billing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company uses Azure to host a web application and wants to pay only for the compute resources consumed, with detailed usage reports for cost allocation. This scenario would illustrate measured service.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may associate any cloud characteristic with 'service' and mistakenly think that any service-related aspect, such as accessibility, falls under measured service, confusing it with general service delivery.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
What is Cloud Computing?
Key term
Azure CLI
Azure CLI is a command-line tool that lets you manage Azure resources by typing commands instead of clicking through a web portal.
Key term
Azure portal
The Azure portal is a web-based, unified console that lets you build, manage, and monitor everything from simple web apps to complex cloud deployments using a graphical user interface.
About these practice questions
This AZ-900 question is part of Courseiva's 981-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.