CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

To ensure effective monitoring of server performance, what key metric should cloud service administrators focus on?

1. Application versions.

2. CPU utilization.

3. Network throughput.

4. Storage capacity.

The correct answer is: CPU utilization.

Focusing on CPU utilization is essential for effective monitoring of server performance because it provides direct insight into how much processing power is being used compared to what is available. High CPU utilization can indicate that a server is under heavy load, which may lead to slower response times or even service outages if capacity limits are hit. Conversely, low CPU utilization might suggest that resources are underutilized, which can mean inefficiencies in resource allocation. While application versions, network throughput, and storage capacity are also important metrics to consider in a comprehensive performance monitoring strategy, they do not provide the same immediate insight into the processing capability and performance health of the server itself. Application versions focus on software state rather than performance, network throughput pertains to data transfer rates rather than server processing, and storage capacity relates to available disk space instead of how effectively the server is performing its computational tasks. Hence, monitoring CPU utilization is a critical focus for understanding and optimizing server performance.