MS-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Question
Which TWO scenarios are best suited for a hybrid cloud deployment?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that options C, D, and E are all valid cloud or on-premises scenarios, but the question asks specifically for hybrid scenarios — candidates must identify which options explicitly require both on-premises and cloud components working together, not just any cloud use case.
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
✓
Extending on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID
Option A is correct because extending on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID is a classic hybrid cloud identity scenario: it keeps authoritative authentication on-premises while using a cloud identity provider (via Microsoft Entra Connect / password hash sync or federation) for cloud services, which inherently spans both environments. Option B is correct because cloud bursting is a defining hybrid cloud use case: an on-premises application overflows to public cloud compute during peak demand, requiring integration and orchestration between the private and public tiers. Option C is not specific to hybrid cloud—archival data is typically a public cloud storage or cold-storage (e.g., Azure Archive, S3 Glacier) decision and does not require an on-premises component. Option D is not inherently hybrid; a high-traffic public website can be hosted entirely in public cloud without any private infrastructure. Option E is not hybrid cloud either—legacy applications requiring physical hardware are generally kept on-premises or in dedicated/private hosting, not deployed across a hybrid model.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Extending on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
Extending on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID lets identities and authentication span both environments, which is the defining hybrid cloud pattern. This satisfies the scenario by keeping existing directory investment while gaining cloud services.
- ✓
Using cloud bursting to handle peak load for an on-premises application
Why this is correct
Cloud bursting satisfies the hybrid constraint by keeping the application on-premises for normal demand while dynamically extending to public cloud capacity only during peaks. This offloads transient spikes without permanent infrastructure investment, which pure private or public deployment cannot achieve.
- ✗
Storing archival data that is rarely accessed
Why it's wrong here
Rarely accessed archival data belongs in cheap cloud object storage tiers such as Azure Blob Archive, with no on-premises element. It is tempting because hybrid can tier data, but the scenario has no regulatory, latency or legacy constraint anchoring any workload on-premises, so pure cloud satisfies it.
- ✗
Hosting a public-facing website with high traffic
Why it's wrong here
A high-traffic public website suits public cloud alone, since elastic scale and global distribution need no on-premises component. It is tempting because hybrid adds burst capacity, but the scenario lacks the on-premises data-residency, latency or legacy-system requirement that forces hybrid architecture.
- ✗
Running a legacy application that requires physical hardware
Why it's wrong here
Legacy hardware dependence is a private or on-premises driver, not a hybrid rationale; hybrid suits bursting to cloud, cloud-native tiers alongside on-premises data, or gradual migration. It tempts because legacy workloads often remain on-premises, but that is coexistence, not the elasticity or integration hybrid cloud is chosen for.
Quick reference
AWS S3 Storage Class Comparison
| Storage Class | Min Duration | Retrieval | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3 Standard | None | Immediate | Frequently accessed data |
| S3 Standard-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Infrequent access, rapid retrieval |
| S3 One Zone-IA | 30 days | Immediate | Non-critical infrequent data |
| S3 Intelligent-Tiering | None | Immediate–hours | Unknown or changing access patterns |
| S3 Glacier Instant | 90 days | Milliseconds | Archive with instant retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Flexible | 90 days | Minutes–hours | Archive, flexible retrieval |
| S3 Glacier Deep Archive | 180 days | Hours | Long-term compliance archive |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Benefits of Microsoft Cloud
Key term
Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID is a cloud-based identity and access management service that lets employees sign in and access resources both inside and outside of your organization.
Key term
Federation
Federation is a system that lets you use one set of login credentials (like your work email and password) to access resources across different organizations or services without needing separate accounts for each one.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every MS-900 question from scratch — 794 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.