CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What characteristic defines multitenancy in cloud computing?

1. Multiple servers sharing a single operating system

2. Many clients using the same cloud infrastructure

3. A single tenant using multiple cloud services

4. Isolated environments for each client

The correct answer is: Many clients using the same cloud infrastructure

Multitenancy in cloud computing is primarily defined by the concept of many clients utilizing the same cloud infrastructure. This approach allows multiple customers, or "tenants," to share the resources of the cloud provider, such as servers and storage, while still maintaining a level of separation between each client's data and applications. This is efficient and cost-effective, as it maximizes resource utilization and lowers operational costs for both providers and clients. This model contrasts with single-tenant architectures where each client has their dedicated environment. With multitenancy, although resources are shared, robust security measures and data isolation techniques ensure that one client's data is protected against access by another, fostering trust and integrity in the cloud environment. Consequently, this shared infrastructure is scalable, allowing providers to serve a larger number of clients without needing a proportional increase in physical resources. Options describing multiple servers sharing a single operating system or isolated environments for each client do not accurately capture the essence of multitenancy, as they either imply a lack of sharing or a requirement for dedicated infrastructure. Meanwhile, having a single tenant use multiple cloud services refers more to service variety rather than the shared nature that characterizes multitenant systems.