CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What technology can be used for monitoring configuration changes across a cloud environment?

1. WMI

2. SNMP

3. RDP

4. Syslog

The correct answer is: SNMP

The correct answer is SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), which is a widely used protocol for monitoring and managing devices on IP networks. It allows administrators to monitor network-attached devices for conditions that warrant administrative attention. In the context of a cloud environment, SNMP can be employed to track configuration changes in various cloud components and services. SNMP operates by allowing management systems to query different devices (such as routers, switches, and servers) for their operational status and configuration details. This capability is crucial in cloud environments where dynamic provisioning and scaling frequently occur. By utilizing SNMP, cloud administrators can receive alerts about configuration changes and maintain compliance with organizational policies. While WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) is geared more toward Windows environments for managing and monitoring local systems rather than across distributed cloud environments, and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) primarily facilitates remote connections to Windows desktops, Syslog is a protocol mainly used for logging messages from devices. While Syslog can provide valuable information on events, it doesn't actively monitor configuration changes in the same proactive and comprehensive way that SNMP does. Hence, SNMP is the most appropriate choice for monitoring configuration changes in a cloud environment.