- A
LRS, because it keeps three local copies in one datacenter and is the simplest choice.
Why wrong: LRS protects only within a single datacenter. It does not provide zone resilience or geo-replication for a regional outage.
- B
RA-GRS, because it provides geo-replication and read access to the secondary region.
Why wrong: RA-GRS adds secondary read access, but the primary copy is not zone-redundant. It does not meet the zone-failure requirement.
- C
GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy in the primary region with geo-replication.
Why wrong: GZRS covers zone failure and geo-replication, but the secondary region is not readable. The question requires read access there.
- D
RA-GZRS, because it keeps the primary region zone-redundant and allows read access to the secondary copy.
RA-GZRS is the only option listed that combines zone-redundant storage in the primary region with geo-replication and read access to the secondary endpoint. That satisfies both the availability-zone failure requirement and the need to read data during a regional outage. It is the strongest choice when you need resilience across both datacenter-level and regional failure scenarios.
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 line-of-business application stores transaction logs in an Azure Storage account. The app must keep working if one availability zone in the primary region fails, and administrators want read access to the secondary copy if the primary region becomes unavailable. Which redundancy option should you 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 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
RA-GZRS, because it keeps the primary region zone-redundant and allows read access to the secondary copy.
RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is correct because it combines zone-redundant storage (ZRS) across availability zones in the primary region, ensuring continued operation if one zone fails, with geo-replication to a secondary region. Additionally, the 'RA' prefix enables read access to the secondary copy if the primary region becomes unavailable, meeting both requirements.
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 three local copies in one datacenter and is the simplest choice.
Why it's wrong here
LRS protects only within a single datacenter. It does not provide zone resilience or geo-replication for a regional outage.
- ✗
RA-GRS, because it provides geo-replication and read access to the secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
RA-GRS adds secondary read access, but the primary copy is not zone-redundant. It does not meet the zone-failure requirement.
- ✗
GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy in the primary region with geo-replication.
Why it's wrong here
GZRS covers zone failure and geo-replication, but the secondary region is not readable. The question requires read access there.
- ✓
RA-GZRS, because it keeps the primary region zone-redundant and allows read access to the secondary copy.
Why this is correct
RA-GZRS is the only option listed that combines zone-redundant storage in the primary region with geo-replication and read access to the secondary endpoint. That satisfies both the availability-zone failure requirement and the need to read data during a regional outage. It is the strongest choice when you need resilience across both datacenter-level and regional failure scenarios.
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, overlooking that GZRS does not grant read access to the secondary region unless a failover is initiated, while RA-GZRS explicitly allows read access to the secondary copy at all times.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RA-GZRS replicates data synchronously across three availability zones in the primary region using ZRS, then asynchronously replicates to a secondary region (paired region) using GRS. The read-access feature allows the secondary endpoint (e.g., *.secondary.blob.core.windows.net) to serve read requests even while the primary region is healthy, but during a primary region outage, it provides continuous read access to the geo-replicated copy. Under the hood, RA-GZRS uses a 99.99% availability SLA for reads and writes in the primary region and 99.99% for reads in the secondary region, making it ideal for high-availability scenarios with disaster recovery requirements.
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.
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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: RA-GZRS, because it keeps the primary region zone-redundant and allows read access to the secondary copy. — RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is correct because it combines zone-redundant storage (ZRS) across availability zones in the primary region, ensuring continued operation if one zone fails, with geo-replication to a secondary region. Additionally, the 'RA' prefix enables read access to the secondary copy if the primary region becomes unavailable, meeting both requirements.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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