- A
Change the deny rule protocol from TCP to Any so the allow rule is evaluated first.
Why wrong: Rule protocol changes do not alter priority order, so the deny would still win.
- B
Add an Allow-SSH rule for 10.8.4.0/24 with a priority lower than 200.
NSG rules are evaluated by priority, and the lowest number wins. A deny rule at 200 blocks SSH before the allow at 300 is considered. The fix is to add a more specific allow rule for the admin subnet with a higher priority, such as 100, so it is evaluated first. That keeps SSH restricted to approved administrators while preserving the existing deny for everyone else.
- C
Move the existing Allow-SSH rule to priority 400 so it applies later.
Why wrong: Moving the allow to a higher number makes it even less likely to be evaluated before the deny rule.
- D
Add a route table to the subnet so the SSH packets follow a different path.
Why wrong: Routing does not override an NSG deny. The traffic is blocked by the security rule, not by path selection.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. 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 Linux VM in a subnet must accept SSH only from the corporate admin subnet 10.8.4.0/24. The subnet NSG currently has an Allow-SSH rule for Any at priority 300 and a Deny-SSH rule for Any at priority 200. Administrators from 10.8.4.0/24 still cannot connect. What change should the administrator make?
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
Add an Allow-SSH rule for 10.8.4.0/24 with a priority lower than 200.
The subnet NSG has a Deny-SSH rule for Any at priority 200, which blocks all SSH traffic regardless of source. To allow SSH only from 10.8.4.0/24, an Allow-SSH rule for that specific subnet must be added with a priority lower (higher number) than 200, such as 210, so it is evaluated after the deny rule. Since NSG rules are processed in priority order (lowest number first), the deny at 200 will block traffic before the allow rule is reached unless the allow rule has a lower priority number, which is not possible here; instead, the allow rule must have a higher priority number (e.g., 210) to be evaluated after the deny, but the correct approach is to add an allow rule with a priority lower than 200 (i.e., a smaller number) to override the deny. However, the correct answer states 'priority lower than 200' meaning a numerically smaller value (e.g., 100), which would be evaluated before the deny rule, allowing traffic from 10.8.4.0/24 before the deny rule blocks it. This is the standard NSG rule evaluation behavior: the highest priority (lowest number) rule wins.
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.
- ✗
Change the deny rule protocol from TCP to Any so the allow rule is evaluated first.
Why it's wrong here
Rule protocol changes do not alter priority order, so the deny would still win.
- ✓
Add an Allow-SSH rule for 10.8.4.0/24 with a priority lower than 200.
Why this is correct
NSG rules are evaluated by priority, and the lowest number wins. A deny rule at 200 blocks SSH before the allow at 300 is considered. The fix is to add a more specific allow rule for the admin subnet with a higher priority, such as 100, so it is evaluated first. That keeps SSH restricted to approved administrators while preserving the existing deny for everyone else.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Move the existing Allow-SSH rule to priority 400 so it applies later.
Why it's wrong here
Moving the allow to a higher number makes it even less likely to be evaluated before the deny rule.
- ✗
Add a route table to the subnet so the SSH packets follow a different path.
Why it's wrong here
Routing does not override an NSG deny. The traffic is blocked by the security rule, not by path selection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'lower priority' with a higher numeric value, thinking a rule with priority 400 is 'lower' than 200, when in fact NSG rules use ascending numeric priority where lower numbers are evaluated first.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs) process rules in priority order, where the lowest numeric priority (e.g., 100) is evaluated first. A Deny rule at priority 200 will block all matching traffic before an Allow rule at priority 300 is reached. To allow traffic from a specific subnet, an Allow rule with a priority lower than 200 (e.g., 150) must be added so it is evaluated first, permitting traffic from 10.8.4.0/24 before the deny rule blocks it. This is a common pattern for implementing 'allow list' exceptions within a broader deny policy.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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 Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add an Allow-SSH rule for 10.8.4.0/24 with a priority lower than 200. — The subnet NSG has a Deny-SSH rule for Any at priority 200, which blocks all SSH traffic regardless of source. To allow SSH only from 10.8.4.0/24, an Allow-SSH rule for that specific subnet must be added with a priority lower (higher number) than 200, such as 210, so it is evaluated after the deny rule. Since NSG rules are processed in priority order (lowest number first), the deny at 200 will block traffic before the allow rule is reached unless the allow rule has a lower priority number, which is not possible here; instead, the allow rule must have a higher priority number (e.g., 210) to be evaluated after the deny, but the correct approach is to add an allow rule with a priority lower than 200 (i.e., a smaller number) to override the deny. However, the correct answer states 'priority lower than 200' meaning a numerically smaller value (e.g., 100), which would be evaluated before the deny rule, allowing traffic from 10.8.4.0/24 before the deny rule blocks it. This is the standard NSG rule evaluation behavior: the highest priority (lowest number) rule wins.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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