Which of the following is an advantage of cloud infrastructure?

Elastic deployments are a key advantage of cloud infrastructure. This concept refers to the ability of cloud services to automatically scale resources up or down depending on the current demand. For instance, when the workload increases, cloud infrastructure can allocate additional computing resources seamlessly, allowing organizations to respond quickly to changing conditions without the need for significant upfront investment in physical hardware. This capability not only enhances operational efficiency but also ensures that resources are optimally utilized, helping to manage costs effectively.

In contrast, higher physical server costs and increased energy consumption are generally viewed as disadvantages rather than advantages. Higher physical server costs relate to the investment required for on-premises infrastructure, which cloud solutions aim to reduce. Increased energy consumption also presents challenges, as maintaining physical servers typically requires more energy than using cloud services that optimize power usage. While cloud providers often work to improve energy efficiency, the direct increase in consumption wouldn't be categorized as an advantage.

Reduced software compatibility issues can sometimes be an advantage of cloud computing, especially with services that offer standardized platforms. However, it is more context-dependent and not universally applicable across all types of software and services in the cloud. Therefore, elastic deployments represent a clear and distinct advantage inherent to cloud infrastructure, focusing on flexibility, scalability, and resource management.