- A
Restore the entire VM to a new instance
Why wrong: Full VM restore is broader than needed and would replace far more than the deleted file.
- B
Use file recovery from the backup item
File recovery lets an administrator mount the backup content and copy back only the deleted file or folder. That is the most efficient option when the VM itself is healthy and only a small set of files needs to be recovered. It avoids downtime and avoids replacing the whole virtual machine or disk set.
- C
Create a new storage account and copy the file from there
Why wrong: A storage account is unrelated unless the file was originally stored there; it does not recover data from the VM backup.
- D
Enable a resource lock on the VM
Why wrong: A lock can protect the VM from changes, but it cannot restore a deleted file from backup.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to use the File Recovery feature from the backup item. This is because Azure Backup allows you to mount a recovery point as an iSCSI drive directly to the VM, enabling you to browse the backup snapshot and copy individual files without performing a full VM restore. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of granular recovery options versus full VM restore or disk-level restore, which are unnecessary and time-consuming for a single file. A common trap is selecting "Restore VM" or "Restore Disks," which would overwrite the entire environment. Remember the key distinction: File Recovery is for granular access, while full restore is for disaster recovery. A useful memory tip is "iSCSI for single files" — think of the "I" in iSCSI as standing for "Individual" file access.
AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 developer deleted a single configuration file on a Windows Azure VM. The administrator wants to restore only that file from the latest backup without replacing the entire VM. Which restore workflow should be used?
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
Use file recovery from the backup item
Option B is correct because Azure Backup provides file-level recovery for Azure VMs using the 'File Recovery' feature. This allows you to mount the recovery point as a drive on the VM (or another machine) and copy individual files without restoring the entire VM. It uses iSCSI to present the backup snapshot directly to the VM for granular file access.
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.
- ✗
Restore the entire VM to a new instance
Why it's wrong here
Full VM restore is broader than needed and would replace far more than the deleted file.
- ✓
Use file recovery from the backup item
Why this is correct
File recovery lets an administrator mount the backup content and copy back only the deleted file or folder. That is the most efficient option when the VM itself is healthy and only a small set of files needs to be recovered. It avoids downtime and avoids replacing the whole virtual machine or disk set.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a new storage account and copy the file from there
Why it's wrong here
A storage account is unrelated unless the file was originally stored there; it does not recover data from the VM backup.
- ✗
Enable a resource lock on the VM
Why it's wrong here
A lock can protect the VM from changes, but it cannot restore a deleted file from backup.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume file-level recovery is not possible with Azure VM backups and choose the full VM restore option, not realizing that Azure Backup supports granular file recovery via iSCSI mounting.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Backup's file recovery feature works by mounting the backup snapshot as an iSCSI target on the VM or a compatible machine. The administrator runs the 'Restore Files' workflow from the Recovery Services vault, which downloads a script that connects the VM to the snapshot over the network, allowing read-only access to the file system. This avoids the need to restore the entire VM, which would require stopping the VM and could take hours depending on the disk size.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — study guide chapter
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Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use file recovery from the backup item — Option B is correct because Azure Backup provides file-level recovery for Azure VMs using the 'File Recovery' feature. This allows you to mount the recovery point as a drive on the VM (or another machine) and copy individual files without restoring the entire VM. It uses iSCSI to present the backup snapshot directly to the VM for granular file access.
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 →
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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