Which two characteristics describe the public cloud? Each correct answer presents a complete solution. NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

The public cloud is characterized by metered pricing, meaning you pay only for the resources you consume, similar to a utility bill. It also offers self-service management, allowing users to provision and manage their cloud resources independently through a web portal or APIs without direct interaction with the provider's staff. Dedicated hardware is typically associated with private cloud or on-premises solutions, not the shared infrastructure of the public cloud. Unsecured connections are a security flaw, not a characteristic feature of cloud computing, which emphasizes secure access. Limited storage is incorrect; public cloud providers offer vast and scalable storage options.