A new Windows VM must be deployed with an application installed, a configuration file copied from a storage account, and a bootstrap script run automatically after the operating system is provisioned. The operations team does not want to log in manually after deployment. What should they use?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
A Custom Script Extension attached to the VM during provisioning.
The Custom Script Extension is designed to run post-provisioning commands, download files, and perform installation tasks automatically. It fits a deployment workflow where the VM must be configured without manual logon after creation.
Distractor review
Azure Bastion to connect through the browser and complete setup interactively.
Azure Bastion provides secure remote access, but it still relies on an administrator manually connecting to finish the setup. That does not meet the requirement for automated provisioning.
Distractor review
A managed identity assigned to the VM without any extensions.
A managed identity can help the VM access Azure resources without secrets, but it does not by itself install software or run the bootstrap script. A separate mechanism is still needed for configuration tasks.
Distractor review
An availability set so the VM comes online faster during provisioning.
An availability set affects placement for resilience, not application configuration. It does not install software, copy files, or run scripts during deployment.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A route table contains these entries: 10.0.0.0/8 with next hop Virtual appliance, and 10.1.1.0/24 with next hop Virtual network gateway. Which next hop will Azure use for traffic to 10.1.1.5?
Question 2
You are deploying a stateless web application on Azure virtual machines. The solution must automatically add and remove instances based on CPU demand and allow all instances to be managed as one logical group. Which Azure compute feature should you deploy?
Question 3
You are deploying a Windows Server VM for an internal app. The VM must support Secure Boot and vTPM later, its OS disk must survive host moves, and the team wants the lowest-cost managed disk tier that still behaves like a normal writable OS disk. Which two choices should you make? Select two.
Question 4
You need to deploy several identical virtual machines and ensure that the failure of a single Azure host does not affect all of them. Which feature should you use?
Question 5
You need to connect VNet-Hub and VNet-Spoke so that resources in both virtual networks can communicate privately over the Microsoft backbone. Both virtual networks are in the same region. What should you configure?
Question 6
You need to create a storage account that provides the lowest-cost redundant storage for non-critical data and only needs protection against local disk or server failure within a single datacenter. Which redundancy option should you choose?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A Custom Script Extension attached to the VM during provisioning. — The Custom Script Extension is the appropriate tool when a VM must run bootstrap commands and pull files as part of provisioning. It can install software, execute scripts, and complete first-time configuration without requiring an admin to log in later. That makes it the best Azure-native choice for automated post-deployment setup of a VM image. Why others are wrong: Bastion helps with secure interactive access, but the scenario explicitly wants automation and no manual login. A managed identity is useful for secretless resource access, not for executing installation steps on its own. An availability set is irrelevant because it handles placement and resilience, not bootstrap configuration. The extension is the component that actually performs the setup work.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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