- A
A log query alert only, with the query scheduled to run during business hours
Why wrong: This stops evaluation outside the schedule, which means the alert would not continue to monitor continuously.
- B
A metric alert rule with an action group and an alert processing rule that suppresses actions outside business hours
A metric alert keeps evaluating all day and night, while an alert processing rule can mute notifications during the excluded time window without disabling detection.
- C
A diagnostic setting that sends CPU logs to a storage account and a Logic App for email delivery
Why wrong: Diagnostic settings export telemetry, but they do not create threshold-based alerting logic on their own.
- D
An action group with an email receiver and a virtual machine extension to pause the workload outside business hours
Why wrong: This changes workload behavior rather than suppressing notification delivery, and it does not satisfy the monitoring requirement.
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 production VM must generate an alert when average CPU exceeds 80 percent for 10 minutes. The alert must be evaluated continuously, but email notifications should be suppressed outside 08:00 to 18:00 on weekdays. What should the administrator configure?
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
A metric alert rule with an action group and an alert processing rule that suppresses actions outside business hours
Option B is correct because it combines a metric alert rule (which continuously evaluates the CPU threshold) with an alert processing rule that suppresses notifications outside business hours. The metric alert rule evaluates every minute by default, meeting the 'continuously evaluated' requirement, while the alert processing rule (formerly action rule) allows you to suppress actions based on a schedule without altering the alert rule itself.
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.
- ✗
A log query alert only, with the query scheduled to run during business hours
Why it's wrong here
This stops evaluation outside the schedule, which means the alert would not continue to monitor continuously.
- ✓
A metric alert rule with an action group and an alert processing rule that suppresses actions outside business hours
Why this is correct
A metric alert keeps evaluating all day and night, while an alert processing rule can mute notifications during the excluded time window without disabling detection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A diagnostic setting that sends CPU logs to a storage account and a Logic App for email delivery
Why it's wrong here
Diagnostic settings export telemetry, but they do not create threshold-based alerting logic on their own.
- ✗
An action group with an email receiver and a virtual machine extension to pause the workload outside business hours
Why it's wrong here
This changes workload behavior rather than suppressing notification delivery, and it does not satisfy the monitoring requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse alert processing rules with action group schedules or diagnostic settings, failing to realize that alert processing rules are the correct mechanism to suppress notifications based on time without altering the alert rule's evaluation frequency.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Metric alerts in Azure Monitor use a sliding window of aggregated data (e.g., average CPU over 10 minutes) and evaluate every 1 minute by default, ensuring continuous monitoring. Alert processing rules (formerly action rules) can be applied to a scope (e.g., a resource group or subscription) and can suppress actions based on a recurring schedule, such as weekdays 08:00–18:00, by setting the 'Suppress notifications' effect. This allows the alert to still fire and be visible in the Azure portal, but no email or SMS is sent during the suppressed period.
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?
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: A metric alert rule with an action group and an alert processing rule that suppresses actions outside business hours — Option B is correct because it combines a metric alert rule (which continuously evaluates the CPU threshold) with an alert processing rule that suppresses notifications outside business hours. The metric alert rule evaluates every minute by default, meeting the 'continuously evaluated' requirement, while the alert processing rule (formerly action rule) allows you to suppress actions based on a schedule without altering the alert rule itself.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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