The answer is OnFailure and Never. These two restart policies are correct for a batch container in Azure Container Instances because they directly match the workload requirement: the container must stop after a successful run and only retry when the process fails. The OnFailure policy restarts the container exclusively when the process exits with a non-zero error code, while the Never policy ensures no restart occurs after any exit, including a successful one. On the AZ-104 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how ACI restart policies map to batch processing patterns—a common trap is confusing Always with OnFailure, but Always would restart even after success, which breaks the batch workflow. A useful memory tip: think of a batch job as a one-shot task—use Never for “no retries needed” and OnFailure for “retry only on error.”
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 batch container in Azure Container Instances should stop after a successful run and may retry only when the process fails. Which two restart policies are correct for that style of workload? Select two.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Never
Option A (Never) is correct because it ensures the container does not restart after a successful run, which aligns with the requirement to stop after completion. Option B (OnFailure) is correct because it allows the container to retry only when the process fails, meeting the condition of restarting solely on failure. In Azure Container Instances, these two restart policies directly support batch workloads that should not restart on success but may retry on failure.
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.
✓
Never
Why this is correct
Never lets the container exit and stay stopped, which is useful for one-time batch jobs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
OnFailure
Why this is correct
OnFailure restarts the container only when it exits with a failure code, not after success.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Always
Why it's wrong here
Always restarts the container after it exits, which is not appropriate for a completed batch job.
✗
Manual
Why it's wrong here
Manual is not a valid Azure Container Instances restart policy.
✗
Scheduled
Why it's wrong here
Scheduled is not a supported restart policy for Azure Container Instances.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the 'OnFailure' policy with 'Always' or think 'Never' means no restarts at all, missing that 'OnFailure' is the only policy that retries exclusively on failure, while 'Always' would restart even after success, which is incorrect for this batch workload scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Container Instances restart policies are enforced based on the container's exit code: OnFailure restarts only when the exit code is non-zero (indicating failure), while Never stops the container regardless of exit code. This behavior is critical for batch jobs where idempotency is required—if a container fails, OnFailure ensures retries without manual intervention, but a successful run (exit code 0) halts execution to avoid wasted compute costs. Under the hood, ACI uses the container's exit code from the process inside the container to determine the restart action, and the policy is set at deployment time via the `--restart-policy` parameter in the Azure CLI or the `restartPolicy` property in ARM templates.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Never — Option A (Never) is correct because it ensures the container does not restart after a successful run, which aligns with the requirement to stop after completion. Option B (OnFailure) is correct because it allows the container to retry only when the process fails, meeting the condition of restarting solely on failure. In Azure Container Instances, these two restart policies directly support batch workloads that should not restart on success but may retry on failure.
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.
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Question Discussion
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