- A
Measured service
Measured service enables metering of resource usage and pay-as-you-go billing, as described in the scenario.
- B
Resource pooling
Why wrong: Resource pooling means the provider's resources are shared among multiple customers, not directly related to billing granularity.
- C
On-demand self-service
Why wrong: On-demand self-service allows users to provision resources automatically, but the billing model itself is not the focus.
- D
Broad network access
Why wrong: Broad network access is about network accessibility, not metering or billing.
Question 8 of 985
Measured Service in Cloud Computing
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 cloud provider bills a customer monthly based on the precise number of gigabytes of storage used and the number of virtual machine hours consumed. Which essential cloud computing characteristic does this billing model demonstrate?
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
✓
Measured service
The billing model charges based on exact gigabytes of storage used and virtual machine hours consumed, which directly aligns with the 'measured service' characteristic. This means the cloud provider meters resource usage (e.g., storage IOPS, compute hours) and bills only for what is consumed, enabling pay-as-you-go pricing. Measured service relies on telemetry and monitoring systems (e.g., Azure Monitor, AWS CloudWatch) to track usage and generate invoices.
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.
- ✓
Measured service
Why this is correct
Measured service enables metering of resource usage and pay-as-you-go billing, as described in the scenario.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Resource pooling
Why it's wrong here
Resource pooling means the provider's resources are shared among multiple customers, not directly related to billing granularity.
- ✗
On-demand self-service
Why it's wrong here
On-demand self-service allows users to provision resources automatically, but the billing model itself is not the focus.
- ✗
Broad network access
Why it's wrong here
Broad network access is about network accessibility, not metering or billing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the distinction between 'measured service' (billing granularity) and 'on-demand self-service' (provisioning capability), leading candidates to confuse the ability to spin up resources instantly with how those resources are billed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, measured service in Azure uses the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) to track resource consumption at a granular level, such as per-second billing for virtual machines (e.g., Standard_D2s_v3) and per-GB-month for Azure Blob Storage. This metering data is aggregated into usage records, which are then processed by the billing system to generate invoices. A subtle behavior is that reserved instances or savings plans can alter the effective rate, but the measured usage still drives the base charge.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Describe cloud concepts — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Describe cloud concepts practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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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: Measured service — The billing model charges based on exact gigabytes of storage used and virtual machine hours consumed, which directly aligns with the 'measured service' characteristic. This means the cloud provider meters resource usage (e.g., storage IOPS, compute hours) and bills only for what is consumed, enabling pay-as-you-go pricing. Measured service relies on telemetry and monitoring systems (e.g., Azure Monitor, AWS CloudWatch) to track usage and generate invoices.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
5 more ways this is tested on MS-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company uses a cloud provider and is billed monthly based only on the exact amount of storage used and the number of compute hours consumed. They can increase or decrease usage at any time without upfront commitments. Which cloud computing characteristic does this billing model primarily demonstrate?
easy- A.On-demand self-service
- B.Rapid elasticity
- ✓ C.Measured service
- D.Resource pooling
Why C: The billing model charges only for actual storage used and compute hours consumed, with no upfront commitments and the ability to adjust usage at any time. This directly aligns with the 'measured service' characteristic, where cloud resource usage is metered, monitored, and billed based on consumption. The key is that the provider tracks and reports usage transparently, enabling a pay-per-use model.
Variation 2. A company wants monthly billing based on the number of Microsoft 365 users assigned licenses. Which cloud characteristic does this represent?
medium- A.Fault tolerance
- B.Resource pooling
- ✓ C.Measured service
- D.Rapid elasticity
Why C: Measured service is a cloud characteristic where usage is metered and billed based on consumption. In this scenario, the company is billed monthly based on the number of Microsoft 365 users assigned licenses, which directly reflects metered usage of the service. This aligns with the pay-per-use model defined by NIST SP 800-145 for cloud computing.
Variation 3. A company uses a cloud provider that bills them based on the exact amount of storage and compute hours they consume each month. They can increase or decrease their usage at any time without signing a long-term contract. Which cloud computing characteristic is most directly demonstrated by the billing model?
easy- A.Scalability
- B.Elasticity
- ✓ C.Measured service
- D.On-demand self-service
Why C: The billing model described—paying for exactly the amount of storage and compute hours consumed, with no long-term contract—directly demonstrates the measured service characteristic. Measured service means that cloud resource usage is metered, monitored, and reported, allowing providers to charge customers based on actual consumption (pay-as-you-go). This is a core attribute of cloud computing as defined by NIST SP 800-145, where usage is tracked and billed transparently.
Variation 4. A company uses a cloud provider that charges them based solely on the exact number of gigabytes of storage used and the number of virtual machine hours consumed. They can increase or decrease usage at any time without any upfront commitment. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this billing model demonstrate?
easy- ✓ A.Measured service
- B.Rapid elasticity
- C.Resource pooling
- D.On-demand self-service
Why A: The billing model charges based on exact gigabytes of storage used and virtual machine hours consumed, which directly aligns with the 'measured service' characteristic of cloud computing. Measured service means cloud providers meter and bill customers precisely for the resources they consume, often using a pay-as-you-go model. This allows the company to pay only for what they use without upfront commitments, as described in the scenario.
Variation 5. A colleague says, 'The public cloud is cheaper because you only pay for the resources you use, like compute hours or storage space.' Which cloud computing characteristic directly supports this pay-as-you-go model?
easy- A.Rapid elasticity
- B.Broad network access
- ✓ C.Measured service
- D.On-demand self-service
Why C: Option C is correct because measured service is the cloud computing characteristic that enables a pay-as-you-go model by metering resource usage (e.g., compute hours, storage GB-months, outbound data transfer) and providing transparent billing based on actual consumption. This allows providers like Azure to charge only for what is used, directly supporting the colleague's statement that the public cloud is cheaper because you pay only for resources consumed.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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