- A
Associate a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and provide it with a public IP address or prefix.
NAT gateway gives the subnet a predictable outbound public IP without assigning public IPs to the VMs.
- B
Ensure the VMs do not have individual public IP addresses assigned.
This keeps outbound identity centralized through the NAT gateway instead of the VM NICs.
- C
Create a public load balancer and add the VMs to its backend pool.
Why wrong: A public load balancer is mainly for inbound distribution and is not the simplest outbound-only requirement here.
- D
Use a private endpoint for internet updates so outbound traffic remains private.
Why wrong: Private endpoints connect to Azure PaaS services, not arbitrary internet destinations.
- E
Attach a route table with 0.0.0.0/0 to Virtual network gateway.
Why wrong: A virtual network gateway is for hybrid connectivity, not direct internet egress with a static public IP.
Quick Answer
The answer is to ensure the VMs do not have individual public IP addresses assigned, and to deploy an Azure NAT gateway on the backend subnet with a single static public IP. This configuration is correct because a NAT gateway performs source network address translation (SNAT), allowing all outbound traffic from the 18 Linux VMs to egress through one static public IP while keeping the VMs themselves private and non-routable from the internet. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of outbound connectivity design, specifically the distinction between NAT gateway, Azure Firewall, and load balancer outbound rules. A common trap is to think a public load balancer or default outbound access will suffice, but only a NAT gateway enforces a single static IP without exposing individual VMs. For the memory tip, remember: “NAT gateway, one IP, no VM exposed” — if a VM has its own public IP, it bypasses the NAT gateway entirely, breaking the security requirement.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A backend subnet contains 18 Linux VMs that must install updates from the internet. Security requires all outbound traffic to use one static public IP, and none of the VMs may have their own public IP addresses. Which two changes meet the requirement? Select two.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Associate a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and provide it with a public IP address or prefix.
A NAT gateway provides outbound internet connectivity for VMs in a subnet while using a single static public IP address. By associating a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and assigning it a public IP, all outbound traffic from the 18 Linux VMs will source NAT to that static IP, meeting the security requirement without assigning public IPs to individual VMs.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Associate a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and provide it with a public IP address or prefix.
- ✓
Ensure the VMs do not have individual public IP addresses assigned.
- ✗
Create a public load balancer and add the VMs to its backend pool.
Why it's wrong here
A public load balancer is mainly for inbound distribution and is not the simplest outbound-only requirement here.
- ✗
Use a private endpoint for internet updates so outbound traffic remains private.
Why it's wrong here
Private endpoints connect to Azure PaaS services, not arbitrary internet destinations.
- ✗
Attach a route table with 0.0.0.0/0 to Virtual network gateway.
Why it's wrong here
A virtual network gateway is for hybrid connectivity, not direct internet egress with a static public IP.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing a public load balancer (inbound) with a NAT gateway (outbound), or assuming a route table alone can provide internet access without a NAT device or Azure Firewall.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure NAT gateway uses Port Address Translation (PAT) to map multiple private IPs to a single public IP, supporting up to 64,000 concurrent flows per public IP. The NAT gateway is placed in a specific zone and can be associated with multiple subnets, but it cannot span regions. For high availability, you can assign a public IP prefix to the NAT gateway, ensuring all outbound traffic uses a contiguous range of static IPs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Associate a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and provide it with a public IP address or prefix. — A NAT gateway provides outbound internet connectivity for VMs in a subnet while using a single static public IP address. By associating a NAT gateway with the backend subnet and assigning it a public IP, all outbound traffic from the 18 Linux VMs will source NAT to that static IP, meeting the security requirement without assigning public IPs to individual VMs.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A subnet contains 15 backend VMs that only need outbound internet access for patching and package downloads. Security wants all outbound connections to use one static public IP address, and no VM should have a public IP assigned directly. What should you configure?
medium- A.A public Standard Load Balancer with outbound rules for the backend pool.
- ✓ B.A NAT gateway associated with the subnet.
- C.A public IP address on each virtual machine so all outbound traffic is traceable.
- D.An internal load balancer with a private frontend IP.
Why B: A NAT gateway is the correct choice because it provides outbound internet connectivity for all VMs in a subnet using a single static public IP address, without assigning public IPs to the VMs themselves. It handles source network address translation (SNAT) for outbound traffic, ensuring that all connections appear to originate from the configured public IP. This meets the security requirement of a single static IP for patching and package downloads.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.
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