MS-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
Which cloud computing characteristic allows users to provision resources such as virtual machines and storage without requiring human interaction with the service provider?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is confusing the five NIST characteristics—candidates often pick rapid elasticity because provisioning sounds like scaling, but the key phrase is 'without human interaction with the service provider,' which defines self-service.
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
✓
On-demand self-service
On-demand self-service is the cloud characteristic that lets consumers provision computing capabilities such as VMs and storage automatically, without requiring human interaction with the service provider. This is one of the five essential characteristics defined by NIST SP 800-145. It directly matches the scenario of unilaterally provisioning resources via a portal or API.
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 it's wrong here
Measured service meters and bills consumption per unit; it does not grant self-service provisioning. The scenario describes on-demand self-service, where a consumer provisions VMs and storage unilaterally through a portal or API without provider involvement. Measured service would be the answer if the question asked how usage is monitored, controlled, and reported for billing.
- ✓
On-demand self-service
Why this is correct
On-demand self-service lets consumers provision compute and storage capabilities automatically, without human interaction with the provider. This directly satisfies the stem's constraint: resources are obtained unilaterally through self-service portals or APIs, with no manual request or approval from Microsoft. Elasticity and measured service address scaling and billing, not autonomous provisioning.
- ✗
Resource pooling
Why it's wrong here
Resource pooling means providers serve multiple tenants from shared physical infrastructure, delivering economies of scale rather than self-service provisioning. It is tempting because pooled resources underpin cloud delivery, but it would be correct when describing multi-tenancy, not provisioning without provider interaction.
- ✗
Rapid elasticity
Why it's wrong here
Rapid elasticity describes scaling capacity outward and inward to match demand, not provisioning without provider interaction. It is tempting because elasticity also appears self-service, but it would be correct when describing automatic scaling of capacity, not the on-demand provisioning described.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
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.