CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What metric indicates a significant difference from the baseline in monitoring?

1. Deviation

2. Variance

3. Baseline imbalance

4. Performance threshold

The correct answer is: Variance

Variance is a key metric used in monitoring to identify significant differences from a baseline. In the context of performance monitoring, variance represents the measure of how much a particular value deviates from its expected baseline. When assessments are made, variance allows for the examination of fluctuations in data over time, helping to identify trends, anomalies, or performance issues that could indicate a need for adjustments or interventions. In systems and application monitoring, establishing a baseline is crucial because it sets the standard against which future performance can be measured. Consequently, observing a high variance suggests that the performance is fluctuating significantly from what was previously established, which could indicate potential issues that need to be addressed. While other options like deviation or performance thresholds are relevant in performance monitoring, variance more specifically quantifies the magnitude of the differences from the baseline, making it the most fitting answer in this context. Baseline imbalance, though related, does not explicitly serve as a recognized metric in monitoring practices.