IBM C1000-142 Exam Dumps & Practice Test Questions

Question 1:

When deploying mission-critical applications across three availability zones within a multi-zone cloud region instead of just one zone, what level of system uptime can typically be achieved?

A. 99.9%
B. 99.5%
C. 99.9999%
D. 99.99%

Correct answer: D

Explanation:

High availability is a fundamental goal in cloud architecture, especially for critical business applications that must remain accessible with minimal downtime. When you utilize a multi-zone deployment—specifically across three zones within a single cloud region—you significantly boost system resilience and redundancy, translating to improved availability.

Cloud providers such as Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure often define and guarantee system uptime through Service Level Agreements (SLAs). These SLAs specify the percentage of uptime clients can expect based on the deployment model. For example, GCP offers a 99.99% availability SLA when applications are distributed across at least three zones within a region.

Each availability zone represents a physically distinct data center with independent infrastructure. By spreading workloads across multiple zones, you protect your applications against localized failures. If one zone becomes unavailable due to hardware failure, power outages, or network disruption, the system can continue running using the other zones.

Let’s evaluate the choices:

• A (99.9%) corresponds to roughly 8.76 hours of allowable downtime per year. This level is typical for single-zone deployments.

• B (99.5%) allows over 43 hours of downtime annually, which is unsuitable for critical applications and does not justify the cost and complexity of multi-zone designs.

• C (99.9999%), or “six nines,” equates to under 32 seconds of downtime per year. Achieving this level would require highly customized, geographically diverse architectures and is beyond the scope of a typical three-zone regional setup.

• D (99.99%) allows for just 52.6 minutes of downtime per year, making it a realistic and achievable SLA for applications deployed across three zones in a single region. This is the standard SLA advertised by leading cloud vendors for high-availability designs.

In conclusion, deploying your application across three zones within a single cloud region helps you achieve 99.99% availability. It offers a strong balance of performance, resilience, and cost-efficiency—ensuring your services remain available even if one or more zones experience an outage. Thus, the most accurate answer is D.

Question 2:

Which of the following accurately defines the meaning of the acronym SaaS in the context of cloud computing?

A. System-as-a-Service
B. Software-as-a-System
C. Software-as-a-Service
D. System-software-and-Services

Correct answer: C

Explanation:

SaaS, or Software-as-a-Service, is a leading cloud computing model where applications are delivered over the internet by a service provider. Instead of downloading and installing software on individual devices, users can access it on demand using a web browser or a lightweight client. This removes the burden of managing hardware, performing updates, or installing patches.

In a SaaS setup, the software provider is responsible for everything on the backend, including infrastructure, software updates, availability, and security. This makes SaaS an especially attractive option for small and medium-sized businesses, startups, and even large enterprises aiming to cut costs and simplify IT operations.

Typical examples of SaaS platforms include:

• Google Workspace (e.g., Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs)

• Microsoft 365 (cloud versions of Word, Excel, Outlook)

• Salesforce (CRM software)

• Zoom (video conferencing)

• Dropbox (cloud file storage)

These applications are built for scalability, allowing users to access services from any location with internet access. This model enhances flexibility, reduces capital expenditure, and supports rapid deployment of new tools.

Now, let’s review the answer choices:

• A (System-as-a-Service) is not a legitimate term in cloud computing. While it sounds plausible, it has no technical definition or industry relevance.

• B (Software-as-a-System) is incorrect. It misrepresents the well-established acronym SaaS, which stands for “Software-as-a-Service.”

• C (Software-as-a-Service) is the correct and industry-recognized interpretation. It aligns with the cloud delivery model where software is centrally hosted and provided on a subscription basis.

• D (System-software-and-Services) is an inaccurate and ambiguous option. It combines loosely related terms without clearly describing any existing cloud model.

To summarize, SaaS provides users with access to software hosted and maintained by third-party vendors, eliminating the need for internal infrastructure and support. It is the most commonly adopted cloud service model due to its convenience, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Question 3:

How would you best define the concept of cloud computing?

A. On-demand access, via the internet, to computing resources hosted at a remote data center managed by a cloud services provider
B. A single hardware server that can be divided into multiple virtual servers
C. Salesforce applications plus monitoring and support services hosted in a remote data center managed by a cloud services provider
D. A marketing term invented by Oracle Corporation

Correct answer: A

Explanation:

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services—such as servers, storage, networking, databases, software, and analytics—over the internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. Instead of owning and maintaining their own physical infrastructure, organizations can rent access to a variety of services on-demand from cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.

Option A correctly identifies cloud computing as an on-demand service model where computing resources are provided over the internet by third-party vendors. These services are typically hosted in geographically distributed data centers that ensure high availability, scalability, and security. This approach allows businesses to scale resources up or down as needed, reducing capital expenditures on IT infrastructure.

In contrast, Option B touches on virtualization, which is a technique used within cloud platforms, but it does not define cloud computing itself. Virtualization allows a single physical server to operate multiple virtual machines, but it lacks the on-demand and remote access components that are central to cloud computing.

Option C is too narrow in scope. While Salesforce is a notable example of Software as a Service (SaaS), it only represents one facet of cloud computing. The cloud encompasses a wide range of services including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS), which go far beyond what Salesforce offers.

Option D is inaccurate and misleading. Cloud computing is not a mere marketing term nor was it invented by Oracle Corporation. Its foundational concepts date back to the 1960s with time-sharing models and evolved significantly in the early 2000s with the launch of AWS. The term represents a legitimate and transformative shift in IT service delivery.

To summarize, cloud computing is best described as the ability to access computing resources over the internet from data centers managed by a third party. It enables cost-efficiency, business agility, and operational flexibility, which makes Option A the most complete and correct answer.

Question 4:

A bank is moving to the cloud and has experienced data loss due to power failures. Which cloud migration use case should they prioritize to address this issue?

A. Legacy modernization
B. Continuous integration
C. Data backup and recovery
D. Network management

Correct answer: C

Explanation:

In this scenario, the bank is undertaking a cloud migration while facing a critical issue: data loss resulting from power outages. When formulating a cloud strategy in such a context, the most pressing concern is to ensure that data is secure, resilient, and recoverable, even during unexpected failures. Thus, the most appropriate use case to prioritize is data backup and recovery.

Cloud-based data backup and recovery services provide automated solutions that replicate and store critical data in remote, secure, and geographically distributed data centers. These solutions are highly fault-tolerant, offering redundancy and high availability that would not typically be achievable with on-premises infrastructure alone. If the bank’s local systems go offline due to power loss or disaster, cloud services can quickly restore lost data, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity.

Leading cloud providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud offer specialized tools like AWS Backup, Azure Backup, or Google Cloud Backup and DR. These services allow organizations to set up scheduled backups, configure retention policies, and implement encryption and compliance controls—essential in the financial industry.

Option A, legacy modernization, involves upgrading or replacing outdated IT systems. While important for long-term transformation, it doesn’t directly address the immediate risk of data loss due to infrastructure failure.

Option B, continuous integration, is a software development practice that automates code testing and deployment. Although valuable in a DevOps context, it is unrelated to protecting data from outages or ensuring recoverability.

Option D, network management, focuses on monitoring and optimizing network infrastructure. While crucial for overall system performance, it does not resolve issues stemming from power-related data loss.

In conclusion, to mitigate the risk of future data loss and maintain compliance and operational integrity, the bank should focus on data backup and recovery as a top priority in their cloud migration strategy. This ensures their sensitive financial data is secure, retrievable, and protected under any circumstance, making Option C the most suitable and strategic choice.

Question 5:

Which of the following optional services is specifically designed to support disaster recovery in IBM Cloud VMware environments?
A. Caveonix
B. F5 Big IP
C. Load Balancer
D. Zerto

Correct answer: D

Explanation:

In cloud-based VMware deployments hosted on IBM Cloud, ensuring continuous operations and data resilience during outages or system failures is crucial. This is where disaster recovery (DR) becomes a key component of cloud architecture. Among the optional services available for IBM Cloud VMware solutions, Zerto stands out as the one explicitly built for disaster recovery functionality.

Zerto provides a comprehensive business continuity and disaster recovery platform, focusing on continuous data protection (CDP), real-time replication, and automated orchestration of failover and failback procedures. What makes Zerto ideal for IBM Cloud VMware is its native integration with VMware’s vSphere environment, allowing seamless management of disaster recovery tasks within the same virtualization infrastructure.

One of Zerto’s key features is its ability to maintain near-zero Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and very low Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs). This means in the event of a disruption—such as a cyberattack, natural disaster, or hardware failure—businesses can restore operations with minimal data loss and downtime. Zerto also allows for non-disruptive DR testing, enabling organizations to validate their recovery strategies without interrupting production environments.

In contrast, the other options do not serve the purpose of disaster recovery:

• A. Caveonix is focused on security posture management and compliance, helping enterprises meet regulatory requirements and monitor risks in hybrid cloud setups. However, it does not offer replication or failover functionality.

• B. F5 Big IP offers application delivery and security services, such as load balancing, SSL offloading, and web application firewalls (WAF). While essential for performance and protection, it does not contribute to DR.

• C. Load Balancer, in general, enhances application availability by distributing workloads across multiple servers. This improves fault tolerance but lacks the orchestration and data replication needed for a full disaster recovery solution.

In summary, Zerto is purpose-built to handle the complex demands of disaster recovery in cloud-based VMware environments. Its automation, continuous protection, and seamless VMware integration make it the most appropriate choice for organizations seeking resilience and minimal downtime.

Question 6:

How does a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) function within a public cloud environment?

A. Uses a dedicated hypervisor within the public cloud under the customer’s control
B. Lets enterprises build a private cloud using their own on-premises hardware
C. Offers VMware environments in a public cloud managed by the client
D. Enables enterprises to create private cloud environments on shared public cloud infrastructure

Correct answer: D

Explanation:

A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a cloud computing model that provides a logically isolated portion of a public cloud. This setup enables organizations to operate resources—such as virtual machines, storage, and applications—in a secure and customizable environment, even though the underlying hardware is shared with other customers of the cloud provider.

The VPC essentially acts as a virtual data center within a public cloud, such as AWS, Azure, or IBM Cloud. It allows organizations to define their own IP address ranges, create subnets, configure route tables, and establish virtual firewalls. These features enable secure network segmentation and traffic management, mimicking the structure and control traditionally found in on-premises private data centers.

The critical advantage of a VPC is that it gives organizations the flexibility and scalability of public cloud infrastructure while maintaining enhanced privacy, security, and control. Companies can connect their VPCs to on-premises environments via VPNs or dedicated connections, making it ideal for hybrid cloud architectures.

Now, examining the incorrect options:

• A. While some providers offer dedicated hypervisors or physical hosts, this approach is different from a VPC. VPCs are not dependent on exclusive hardware control; rather, they achieve isolation at the network and virtualization layer.

• B. Refers to a traditional private cloud model, typically hosted in an organization's own data center using its own hardware. This is unrelated to the concept of a VPC, which exists within shared public cloud infrastructure.

• C. Points to VMware-based cloud services, such as VMware Cloud on AWS. While these can run inside VPCs, the presence of VMware is not a defining characteristic of a VPC itself.

In contrast, D accurately captures the essence of a VPC. It describes a secure, isolated virtual environment operating on a shared infrastructure where enterprises can run workloads as though they are on a private cloud. This model allows for high levels of customization, security, and connectivity, while leveraging the cost efficiency and elasticity of the public cloud.

Thus, a VPC provides the best of both worlds—private control with public scalability—making option D the correct choice.

Question 7:

How does IBM Cloud define the correct hierarchical structure of its global locations?

A. Country, Geography, Metro, and Zone
B. Geography, Country, Zone, and Metro
C. Geography, Metro, Country, and Zone
D. Geography, Country, Metro, and Zone

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

IBM Cloud organizes its global infrastructure using a specific and logical hierarchy that reflects both geographic and operational factors. This structured approach allows customers to choose deployment regions and data centers strategically—factoring in latency, regulatory compliance, and availability. The correct hierarchy, in order of broadest to most granular, is: Geography, Country, Metro, and Zone.

1. Geography is the broadest category and includes large-scale regional divisions such as North America, Europe, or Asia Pacific. This classification helps customers choose cloud resources closest to their user base or in compliance with regional data governance standards.

2. Country falls under Geography and refers to individual nations within the geographical region. For example, under the Geography “Europe,” countries like Germany, France, and the UK are included. This level is especially important for organizations that must meet country-specific compliance or legal requirements.

3. Metro refers to metropolitan areas where IBM Cloud maintains its infrastructure, such as Dallas, Tokyo, or Frankfurt. These locations usually host several data centers that cater to local demand while providing high availability.

4. Zone is the most detailed level, signifying an individual availability zone or data center within a metro area. Multiple zones in a metro enable users to architect for redundancy, failover, and high availability.

This well-structured hierarchy enables several benefits:

• Data sovereignty: Clients can select countries and metros to meet local legal and data residency requirements.

• Disaster recovery planning: Multiple zones within a metro allow fault-tolerant architecture.

• Performance optimization: Deploying services close to end-users helps reduce latency and enhances application responsiveness.

• Scalability and flexibility: Resources can be expanded across zones and metros as needed.

Now, let’s examine why the other options are incorrect:

• A (Country, Geography, Metro, and Zone): Incorrect because Geography is a broader term than Country and should come first.

• B (Geography, Country, Zone, and Metro): The order of Zone and Metro is swapped; Metro should precede Zone as Zones exist within Metros.

• C (Geography, Metro, Country, and Zone): Incorrect hierarchy—Country encompasses Metros, not the other way around.

Understanding IBM’s hierarchy is vital for properly designing resilient, compliant, and high-performing cloud solutions. By following the Geography → Country → Metro → Zone model, customers can deploy services in a way that aligns with strategic, technical, and regulatory priorities.

Question 8:

Why would a global bank benefit from adopting a cloud computing model?

A. It eliminates the bank’s IT department
B. It frees the bank from complying with local regulations
C. It automates operations and removes the need for jobs
D. It enables seamless collaboration between globally dispersed teams

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

For large organizations like international banks, adopting cloud computing can be a transformative decision with far-reaching implications. One of the most significant advantages of moving to the cloud is enhanced collaboration across globally distributed teams, which is accurately reflected in Option D.

Cloud platforms facilitate real-time access to shared data, documents, and tools from virtually anywhere. This capability allows departments across different time zones to collaborate on projects, perform analyses, and share updates without delay. Services like IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, or AWS provide centralized platforms with collaborative applications such as cloud-based document editing, version control, real-time messaging, and secure file storage. These tools are vital for fostering productivity and innovation in modern banking environments.

In addition, cloud platforms eliminate physical constraints tied to on-premise servers, enabling faster deployment of services and improved responsiveness to market changes. For global financial institutions, this agility means they can roll out features or perform maintenance across regions without being bound to a specific data center location.

Let’s examine why the other options are incorrect:

• A (Eliminates the IT function): Moving to the cloud does not abolish the need for IT. Instead, the role of IT professionals evolves. They become cloud architects, security experts, and governance leaders who ensure compliance, manage cloud infrastructure, and oversee integrations. Cloud adoption shifts responsibilities—not eliminates them.

• B (Removes legal obligations): Cloud adoption does not exempt an organization from adhering to local laws. In fact, managing compliance in a cloud environment can be more complex. Banks must consider data residency, GDPR (in Europe), HIPAA (in the US), and other nation-specific regulations. Cloud providers offer tools to help meet these, but the ultimate responsibility remains with the bank.

• C (Eliminates jobs through automation): While cloud computing can automate routine operations (e.g., backup, patching, deployment), it doesn’t inherently eliminate jobs. It redefines roles and helps employees focus on strategic tasks rather than repetitive ones. Automation improves efficiency, but human oversight, decision-making, and innovation remain essential.

In summary, cloud computing empowers multinational organizations to operate with greater cohesion, speed, and flexibility. For an international bank, this means enhanced communication across continents, improved responsiveness, and a competitive edge in the digital economy. Therefore, collaboration across worldwide teams stands as the most strategic and accurate benefit among the options presented.

Question 9:

Which of the following best describes the key capabilities provided by Watson Knowledge Catalog?

A. Use deep learning to analyze text and extract metadata, such as sentiment and emotion
B. Deploy machine learning models across multiple cloud environments
C. Monitor AI models in production to ensure reliability and trustworthiness
D. Discover, curate, organize, and share data assets and models with governance controls

Correct answer: D

Explanation:

Watson Knowledge Catalog (WKC) is IBM’s enterprise-grade data cataloging solution designed to help organizations manage their data and AI assets with a focus on discovery, governance, and collaboration. The main objective of WKC is to ensure that data is accessible, organized, secure, and usable across business units while maintaining regulatory compliance.

One of WKC’s central strengths is its ability to facilitate the discovery and sharing of data assets—such as databases, files, data sets, and AI models—across teams. Through automated metadata collection and tagging, users can quickly find relevant assets and understand their context. This discovery process is powered by intelligent indexing and search capabilities that reduce time spent manually locating data.

In terms of curation, data stewards can enrich data assets with business terms, definitions, quality scores, and classifications. This gives the data more meaning within organizational workflows and allows for easier alignment with governance policies.

The categorization features in WKC enable data administrators to organize content using business-specific taxonomies and classifications, making it easier to locate and apply policies consistently. Assets can be grouped into categories such as customer data, financial data, or marketing insights, each with specific access rules.

Secure sharing is also a core function. WKC ensures that curated and approved assets can be shared across projects and departments with proper access rights. Fine-grained access control, policy enforcement, and integration with data protection frameworks make sharing secure and compliant.

Additionally, asset control features provide visibility into data lineage and usage, ensuring that only the right people can access and modify critical information. Governance workflows, auditing, and approval processes help build trust in the data.

Here’s why the other options are incorrect:

• A refers to Watson Natural Language Understanding, which focuses on text analytics, not data governance.

• B is a function of Watson Machine Learning, which is designed for model training and deployment.

• C is associated with Watson OpenScale, which monitors models in production for fairness, bias, and drift.

Thus, D best encapsulates Watson Knowledge Catalog’s role in enterprise data management.

Question 10:

Which IBM Cloud support tier grants customers the ability to set the severity of their support cases?

A. Gold
B. Basic
C. Advanced
D. Entry

Correct answer: A

Explanation:

IBM Cloud provides a range of support plans to suit different user needs—from individual developers to large enterprises running mission-critical workloads. These support plans vary in cost, response time, and available features. One of the most important capabilities for businesses, especially those with high operational risk, is the ability to assign case severity when submitting support tickets. This function is exclusive to the Gold support plan.

Case severity classification allows users to prioritize issues based on their business impact. For example, a Severity 1 issue typically reflects a complete outage or critical service failure that demands immediate attention, while Severity 4 might indicate a low-impact bug or general inquiry. Being able to define these levels ensures that high-priority issues are escalated and resolved faster.

The Gold plan is designed for enterprise-level users who require 24/7 support, fast response times, and full-service technical assistance. This includes proactive support features such as technical account management, case escalations, and personalized guidance. The severity-based prioritization under the Gold plan helps ensure minimal disruption for businesses relying on IBM Cloud for critical services.

Here’s why the other options fall short:

• Basic provides entry-level support, often limited to self-service through documentation and community forums. It does not allow users to assign severity levels or access high-touch support.

• Advanced offers improved response times and extended support hours compared to Basic, but it may not include the ability to set severity levels or guarantee 24/7 support for critical issues.

• Entry is typically bundled with free or trial services and provides extremely limited or no direct technical assistance. It’s not designed for production use.

Ultimately, only the Gold support plan offers all the capabilities required for enterprise-class issue resolution, including case severity assignment, making it the right choice for organizations that cannot afford downtime or delays. Therefore, the correct answer is A (Gold).