The answer is RA-GZRS, or Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage, because it uniquely combines zone-level redundancy within the primary region with geo-replication to a secondary region, and explicitly enables read access to that secondary copy during a regional outage. This means if a single datacenter fails, the zone-redundant storage (ZRS) component keeps the application running, while the geo-replication and read-access flag satisfy the auditors’ requirement for readable secondary region data during a broader disaster. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish RA-GZRS from GRS or RA-GRS, which lack zone redundancy, and from GZRS, which lacks the read-access flag. A common trap is choosing GZRS because it sounds similar, but remember: auditors need to *read* the secondary copy, so you must add the “RA-” prefix. For a memory tip, think “RA-GZRS = Redundant Across Zones, plus Readable Secondary.”
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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 company stores contract PDFs in Azure Blob Storage. The application must keep working if one datacenter in the primary region has an outage, and auditors also want read-only access to the replicated data from the secondary region during a regional outage. Which redundancy option should the administrator choose?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
RA-GZRS
RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is the correct choice because it combines zone-redundant storage (ZRS) across availability zones in the primary region with geo-replication to a secondary region, and crucially enables read access to the secondary region data during a regional outage. This ensures the application remains available if one datacenter fails (via ZRS) and satisfies the auditors' requirement for read-only access to replicated data during a regional outage (via the read-access flag).
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.
✗
LRS
Why it's wrong here
LRS keeps multiple copies only within one datacenter or availability domain and does not provide geographic replication.
✗
ZRS
Why it's wrong here
ZRS protects against a single zone failure, but it does not provide a readable secondary region.
✗
GZRS
Why it's wrong here
GZRS adds geo-replication and zone redundancy, but the secondary region is not readable during normal operations.
✓
RA-GZRS
Why this is correct
RA-GZRS combines zone redundancy in the primary region with geo-replication and read access to the secondary endpoint.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse GZRS with RA-GZRS, forgetting that GZRS alone does not grant read access to the secondary region during an outage; the 'RA' prefix is required to enable that read-only access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RA-GZRS uses asynchronous geo-replication to copy data from a primary region (with ZRS across three availability zones) to a secondary region, typically hundreds of miles away. The read-access flag allows clients to read from the secondary endpoint (e.g., `*.secondary.blob.core.windows.net`) even when the primary region is healthy, but during a regional outage, this becomes the only available access point. The recovery point objective (RPO) for geo-replication is typically less than 15 minutes, meaning some data loss may occur if the primary region fails before replication completes.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: RA-GZRS — RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is the correct choice because it combines zone-redundant storage (ZRS) across availability zones in the primary region with geo-replication to a secondary region, and crucially enables read access to the secondary region data during a regional outage. This ensures the application remains available if one datacenter fails (via ZRS) and satisfies the auditors' requirement for read-only access to replicated data during a regional outage (via the read-access flag).
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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