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MS-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
This MS-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 evaluating a move to the cloud. Which three of the following are advantages of using a public cloud model compared to a private cloud? (Choose three.)
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
✓
No capital expenditure for hardware
In a public cloud model, the cloud provider owns and manages the physical hardware, eliminating the need for the customer to make capital expenditures (CapEx) on servers, storage, and networking equipment. Public clouds offer elastic scaling, allowing resources like virtual machines or containers to be automatically provisioned or deprovisioned based on real-time demand, which is a core benefit of cloud computing. Provider-managed infrastructure maintenance means the cloud vendor handles all hardware patching, firmware updates, and physical security, offloading these operational responsibilities from the customer.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the misconception that public cloud always reduces costs for all workloads, but the trap is that long-term, predictable workloads can be more expensive in public cloud due to ongoing operational costs and lack of reserved instance optimization, while private cloud may offer lower TCO for such scenarios.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Elastic scaling in public clouds is typically implemented via auto-scaling groups that use metrics like CPU utilization or request count to trigger horizontal scaling, leveraging APIs to add or remove instances within minutes. Provider-managed maintenance includes tasks like hypervisor patching, which is performed without customer intervention, often using live migration to minimize downtime. The shared responsibility model clearly delineates that the provider secures the physical infrastructure, while the customer secures their data and applications, a distinction codified in frameworks like the NIST SP 800-145 definition of cloud computing.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MS-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: No capital expenditure for hardware — In a public cloud model, the cloud provider owns and manages the physical hardware, eliminating the need for the customer to make capital expenditures (CapEx) on servers, storage, and networking equipment. Public clouds offer elastic scaling, allowing resources like virtual machines or containers to be automatically provisioned or deprovisioned based on real-time demand, which is a core benefit of cloud computing. Provider-managed infrastructure maintenance means the cloud vendor handles all hardware patching, firmware updates, and physical security, offloading these operational responsibilities from the customer.
What should I do if I get this MS-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 30, 2026
This MS-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 MS-900 exam.
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