- A
LRS, because it keeps multiple copies in the same zone and is the cheapest option.
Why wrong: LRS protects against localized disk or server issues, but it does not protect against a datacenter or zone failure.
- B
ZRS, because it distributes copies across availability zones within the same region.
ZRS is the right choice when you want resilience to a datacenter or zone failure within a region without paying for geo-replication. It stores copies across multiple availability zones, which improves availability while keeping the data in a single region. That matches the requirement to stay regional but survive a datacenter outage.
- C
GRS, because it keeps the workload available in two regions at all times.
Why wrong: GRS adds a secondary region, which is more than the requirement asks for and increases cost. It also does not provide zone-specific protection in the same way ZRS does.
- D
RA-GRS, because it provides zone redundancy and read access in the secondary region.
Why wrong: RA-GRS provides geo-replication with read access, but it does not add zone redundancy in the primary region. The name indicates read access, not availability zone coverage.
Quick Answer
The answer is Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS), which is the correct choice because it synchronously replicates your data across three Azure availability zones within a single region, ensuring that if one entire datacenter fails, your build artifacts remain available without needing to pay for cross-region replication. This directly meets the requirement for intra-region resilience, as ZRS provides durability against zone-level failures while keeping all copies inside the same Azure region. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure Storage redundancy options, often appearing as a trap where candidates confuse ZRS with LRS (which only protects against a single server failure) or GRS (which adds costly geo-replication). A common memory tip is to think of ZRS as “Zone Redundancy Stays Regional” — it keeps your data safe across zones, not across regions, making it the cost-effective choice for intra-region high availability.
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 development team stores build artifacts in Azure Blob Storage. The artifacts must remain available if one datacenter in the Azure region fails, but the business does not want to pay for replication to another region. Which redundancy option should the administrator select?
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
ZRS, because it distributes copies across availability zones within the same region.
B is correct because Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS) synchronously replicates data across three Azure availability zones within the same region, ensuring durability even if one entire datacenter (zone) fails. This meets the requirement of intra-region resilience without incurring the cost of geo-replication to another region.
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, because it keeps multiple copies in the same zone and is the cheapest option.
Why it's wrong here
LRS protects against localized disk or server issues, but it does not protect against a datacenter or zone failure.
- ✓
ZRS, because it distributes copies across availability zones within the same region.
Why this is correct
ZRS is the right choice when you want resilience to a datacenter or zone failure within a region without paying for geo-replication. It stores copies across multiple availability zones, which improves availability while keeping the data in a single region. That matches the requirement to stay regional but survive a datacenter outage.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
GRS, because it keeps the workload available in two regions at all times.
Why it's wrong here
GRS adds a secondary region, which is more than the requirement asks for and increases cost. It also does not provide zone-specific protection in the same way ZRS does.
- ✗
RA-GRS, because it provides zone redundancy and read access in the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
RA-GRS provides geo-replication with read access, but it does not add zone redundancy in the primary region. The name indicates read access, not availability zone coverage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse ZRS with LRS, thinking LRS provides zone-level redundancy because it uses three copies, but LRS copies are within a single datacenter, not across zones.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ZRS uses synchronous replication across availability zones, meaning a write is acknowledged only after it is committed to all three zones, providing a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of zero. Under the hood, Azure Storage uses a distributed commit protocol to ensure consistency across zones, and ZRS is supported for block blobs, append blobs, page blobs, and Azure Files (standard tier). In a real-world scenario, if a zone experiences a power outage or network partition, ZRS allows automatic failover to another zone without manual intervention, maintaining availability for read and write operations.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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 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: ZRS, because it distributes copies across availability zones within the same region. — B is correct because Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS) synchronously replicates data across three Azure availability zones within the same region, ensuring durability even if one entire datacenter (zone) fails. This meets the requirement of intra-region resilience without incurring the cost of geo-replication to another region.
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 →
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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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