AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 reporting application will run on a single Azure VM and needs 8 vCPUs, 64 GiB of RAM, and a temporary local disk for cache. The team wants a size that satisfies the requirement without oversizing memory or paying for an unnecessarily large specialty series. Which two VM sizes meet the requirement best? Select two.
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
E8as_v5
The E8as_v5 is correct because it provides 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, matching the requirement exactly, and includes a temporary local disk (SSD) for cache. It belongs to the memory-optimized Esv5 series, which is designed for memory-intensive workloads without oversizing, and the 'as' variant includes local temporary storage.
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.
✓
E8as_v5
Why this is correct
This size provides 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of memory, matching the workload requirement closely.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
E8ds_v5
Why this is correct
This size also provides 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of memory, making it an appropriate fit.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
D8as_v5
Why it's wrong here
This is a smaller general-purpose size and does not provide enough memory for the workload.
✗
F8s_v2
Why it's wrong here
This family emphasizes compute density but falls short of the required memory capacity.
✗
M8ms
Why it's wrong here
This is a much larger memory-optimized size than needed and would overspend for the scenario.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often overlook the local temporary disk requirement and select a VM size that meets vCPU and RAM but lacks local storage (e.g., D8as_v5 without 's' or F-series), or they choose an M-series VM that grossly oversizes memory, mistaking 'memory-optimized' as always appropriate for any memory need.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
This is a much larger memory-optimized size than needed and would overspend for the scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure VM series are categorized by workload: E-series (memory-optimized) uses Intel Xeon Platinum processors and offers a higher memory-to-core ratio (8 GiB per vCPU in E8as_v5), while D-series (general-purpose) offers 4 GiB per vCPU. The 'as' suffix indicates the VM uses AMD EPYC processors and includes local temporary storage (SSD), which is critical for cache workloads; the 'ds' variant also includes local temp disk but uses Intel processors. The E8ds_v5 is also correct as it provides the same vCPU and memory specs with local temp disk, just on Intel hardware, giving two valid options.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: E8as_v5 — The E8as_v5 is correct because it provides 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, matching the requirement exactly, and includes a temporary local disk (SSD) for cache. It belongs to the memory-optimized Esv5 series, which is designed for memory-intensive workloads without oversizing, and the 'as' variant includes local temporary storage.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.