Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company uses Azure to host a web application. The finance team reviews the monthly invoice and notices that the charges are based on the exact number of hours each virtual machine was running, the amount of storage consumed, and the volume of data transferred out of Azure. They did not pay a fixed upfront cost. Which cloud computing characteristic does this billing model best illustrate?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Rapid elasticity
Rapid elasticity refers to the ability to scale resources up or down quickly, often automatically, in response to demand. While Azure can scale resources, the billing model described is not directly about elasticity; it is about how usage is metered and billed.
B
Best answer
Measured service
Correct. Measured service means that cloud providers meter usage and charge based on actual consumption (e.g., compute hours, storage GB, data transfer). The lack of a fixed upfront cost and billing based on exact usage is the hallmark of measured service.
C
Distractor review
Resource pooling
Resource pooling refers to the provider's computing resources being pooled to serve multiple customers, with physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned. The billing model is not about how resources are pooled but about how consumption is measured.
D
Distractor review
On-demand self-service
On-demand self-service means a consumer can provision computing capabilities (e.g., server time, network storage) as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider. The billing model is a separate characteristic, though on-demand self-service often leads to measured billing.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
Related practice questions
Related AZ-900 practice-question pages
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer is building a serverless application that requires integration with an on-premises SQL Server database for real-time data processing. The on-premises network is connected to Azure via a site-to-site VPN. Which Azure service would allow the function to securely access the on-premises database without exposing it to the public internet?
Question 2
A solutions architect is designing a storage solution for a large media company. The company needs to store video files that are accessed infrequently but must be retained for several years for compliance. Which two Azure storage options meet these requirements? (Select two.)
Question 3
A company deploys a multi-tier application using Azure virtual machines. The web tier VMs must be evenly distributed across two distinct data centers within an Azure region to avoid a single point of failure from an infrastructure outage. Which Azure construct should they use to meet this requirement?
Question 4
A company wants to enforce a set of security policies across all their Azure subscriptions. They have created several individual policy definitions. Which Azure construct should they use to group these policies together and assign them as a single package?
Question 5
A company deploys a line-of-business application on an Azure virtual machine. The IT team wants to ensure the application remains secure. According to the shared responsibility model, which of the following security tasks is the sole responsibility of the customer (the company)?
Question 6
A company develops a web API that runs on Azure App Service. The development team wants to deploy a new version of the API to a staging environment, run integration tests against it, and then gradually shift production traffic to the new version. If any issues are detected, they want to immediately roll back to the previous version without redeploying. Which Azure App Service feature should the team use to meet these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-900 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Measured service — This billing model aligns with the NIST essential characteristic of 'Measured service,' where cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability. Usage is monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service. This pay-as-you-go model is a direct example of measured service, as costs are based on actual consumption of resources.
What should I do if I get this AZ-900 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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