Question

A mid-sized retailer is planning to launch an experimental online marketplace. Leadership is nervous because previous IT projects required buying servers upfront, and if the project failed, that hardware investment was wasted. The CTO wants to explain how moving this initiative to the cloud changes the financial risk profile of trying new ideas. Which statement best captures the business advantage the CTO should emphasize?

Accepted Answer

The cloud lets the retailer pay for resources only as they are consumed, so an unsuccessful experiment can be shut down without a stranded hardware investment.

Answer

The cloud guarantees the marketplace will succeed because Google-managed infrastructure removes all business risk from the project.

Answer

The cloud requires the retailer to sign multi-year hardware leases, which locks in predictable costs regardless of project outcome.

Answer

The cloud eliminates the need to measure total cost of ownership because all cloud spending is fully tax-deductible.