What defines a hybrid cloud?

• A. Hybrid cloud combines a private cloud with one or more public cloud services, with proprietary software enabling communication between each distinct service.
• B. A single public cloud service.
• C. An on‑premises data center only.
• D. Public cloud used in isolation.

Answer: (A)

Hybrid cloud means combining private (on‑premises) cloud resources with one or more public cloud services and having an integration layer that lets these environments communicate and work together as a unified system. This interconnection enables you to move workloads between environments, apply consistent security and governance, and optimize where each task runs based on cost, performance, and compliance needs. The defining aspect is the orchestration and interoperability between private and public clouds, not just using either type in isolation. A single public cloud service stays in the public cloud realm, an on‑premises data center alone stays private, and using public cloud in isolation lacks the connectivity that makes a hybrid setup work.