CompTIA Updated N10-009 Exam Questions and Answers by hadi

The correct answer is C. Elasticity . In cloud computing, elasticity refers to the ability to increase or decrease resources quickly based on current demand . If workloads rise, more compute resources can be allocated. If demand drops, those resources can be reduced again. That is exactly what the question is describing.

This is slightly different from scalability . Scalability is the broader idea that a system can grow to handle more workload. Elasticity focuses more on the dynamic, on-demand adjustment of resources as conditions change. In exam questions, wording like “add or remove based on need” usually points straight to elasticity.

The other answer choices do not fit. Availability is about uptime and service access. Multitenancy refers to multiple customers sharing underlying cloud infrastructure while remaining logically separated. Neither describes rapid expansion and contraction of compute resources.

From a Network+ study perspective, elasticity is one of the core cloud characteristics to remember because it explains why cloud services are useful for workloads that are unpredictable or variable. Instead of permanently building for peak demand, organizations can consume more or less compute as required. That makes elasticity the best answer.

The correct answer is Active-active because a stock exchange broker requires extremely high availability, minimal downtime, and near-zero data loss. According to CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) objectives under high availability and disaster recovery concepts, an active-active configuration involves multiple systems or sites operating simultaneously and sharing the workload. If one system fails, the other continues processing traffic without service interruption.

This model provides the lowest Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), which is critical in financial trading environments where even seconds of downtime can result in major financial loss. Active-active architectures also support load balancing, redundancy, and continuous synchronization between systems.

A warm site (Option A) contains preconfigured hardware but may require data restoration and configuration before becoming fully operational, resulting in some downtime. A full mesh (Option C) is a network topology design and does not specifically address disaster recovery at the service level. In-band (Option D) refers to management traffic sharing the production network and is unrelated to DR strategy.

Therefore, an active-active approach is the most suitable solution for mission-critical financial operations.

The correct answer is 802.1X, which is an identity-based Network Access Control (NAC) framework emphasized in the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 objectives under network security and access control. 802.1X uses a policy-driven authentication process to determine whether a user or device is allowed network access based on verified credentials, such as usernames, passwords, or digital certificates.

802.1X operates using three main components: the supplicant (the client requesting access), the authenticator (the network device such as a switch or wireless access point), and the authentication server (typically a RADIUS server). Once the user’s identity is authenticated, predefined policies determine the level of access granted—full access, limited access, or denial. This makes 802.1X a cornerstone of zero trust and enterprise-grade NAC implementations.

A standard ACL controls traffic based on IP addresses and ports, not user identity. MAC filtering allows or denies access based on device MAC addresses, which can be easily spoofed and does not verify user identity. SSO (Single Sign-On) simplifies authentication across multiple systems but does not control network-layer access.

Network+ highlights 802.1X as a secure, scalable solution for enforcing identity-based network access policies in both wired and wireless environments.

The correct solution is a Data Center Interconnect (DCI). DCIs extend Layer 2 networks across geographically dispersed data centers, enabling seamless replication of services such as SAN storage, backup synchronization, or VM migrations. This ensures workloads and data can move between sites while maintaining the same VLANs and addressing.

A. Security Service Edge (SSE) provides cloud-delivered security functions like secure web gateways and CASB, not Layer 2 extension.

C. Infrastructure as code (IaC) automates deployment and management of network infrastructure but is unrelated to extending Layer 2 domains.

D. Zero Trust architecture is a security framework ensuring strict access control but doesn’t address network connectivity between sites.

In scenarios where backups need replication between sites, Layer 2 extension is often required so systems can communicate as if they are in the same broadcast domain. DCI is specifically designed to provide this functionality reliably and securely.

References (CompTIA Network+ N10-009):

Domain: Network Infrastructure — WAN technologies, data center interconnect, backup replication.