220-1101 Question 363
Single answerContainersA small business is testing a new inventory application on a single Linux server. The technician needs a way to package the app and its dependencies so it can be deployed quickly, started in seconds, and moved to another compatible host without installing the full application stack again. Which technology best meets this requirement?
- A
A container
- B
A Type 1 hypervisor
- C
A full virtual machine
- D
A KVM switch
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is a container because containers are designed to bundle an application and its dependencies in a lightweight, portable format. Unlike virtual machines, containers typically share the host OS kernel, which reduces overhead and allows much faster startup. This makes them a practical choice when a technician needs efficient deployment and migration of applications between compatible hosts. By contrast, hypervisors and virtual machines are better suited when complete operating system isolation is needed. Industry best practices and vendor documentation, including Docker and other container platform resources, consistently describe containers as lightweight application-level virtualization rather than full hardware virtualization.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A container packages an application with its required libraries and dependencies while sharing the host operating system kernel. This makes containers lightweight, fast to start, and portable between compatible systems. In an A+ context, containers are commonly contrasted with full virtual machines because they use fewer resources and are well suited for rapid deployment of applications.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on hardware and is used to host virtual machines. While it is useful for virtualization, it does not itself package an application and its dependencies for lightweight deployment. Choosing this option reflects confusion between virtualization platforms and application containerization.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A full virtual machine includes a complete guest operating system, which adds overhead in storage, memory, and startup time. A VM can run the application, but it does not best match the requirement for quick startup and lightweight portability of just the application and its dependencies.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A KVM switch is a hardware device that lets a user control multiple computers with one keyboard, monitor, and mouse. It has nothing to do with packaging or deploying applications. This distractor targets candidates who recognize the acronym KVM but confuse Kernel-based Virtual Machine concepts with a physical KVM switch.