Question 467 of 1,049
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
A reporting server will run an analytics engine that needs 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM. Average CPU use is expected to stay moderate, but the workload is memory heavy and should not use a burstable SKU. Which two deployment choices best align with the requirement? Select two.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume a moderate CPU workload automatically calls for a compute-optimized SKU (F-series), ignoring the memory-heavy requirement that necessitates a memory-optimized family.
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
✓
Select a memory-optimized VM family.
The workload is memory heavy, and memory-optimized VM families (e.g., E-series) are designed with a higher memory-to-vCPU ratio to handle such workloads efficiently. Option B is correct because the requirement explicitly states 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, so selecting a size that meets these exact specifications is necessary, regardless of family, as long as it is not burstable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Select a memory-optimized VM family.
Why this is correct
Memory-optimized VM families, such as Ev4/Esv4 or M-series, are designed with a high memory-to-vCPU ratio so analytics workloads can cache large datasets in RAM. A reporting analytics engine performs sorts, joins, and aggregations that consume substantial memory, and these SKUs provide this capacity along with high memory bandwidth. Selecting this family directly satisfies the workload's dominant 64 GiB RAM requirement while still delivering 8 vCPUs.
- ✓
Choose a size with at least 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM.
Why this is correct
The stated requirement is at least 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, so the chosen size must satisfy both thresholds simultaneously. A size like Standard_E8as_v4 offers exactly 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB RAM, ensuring the analytics engine can parallelize queries and cache working sets. If you only match the RAM count but undersize the CPU count, query execution becomes serialized and slow; conversely, a size with more vCPUs but less RAM will cause memory pressure and disk spillover.
- ✗
Choose a burstable B-series size to lower cost.
Why it's wrong here
B-series VMs are burstable instances that rely on accumulated CPU credits for baseline performance, and they throttle to a low baseline once credits are consumed. Analytics engines run sustained, high-activity workloads that quickly exhaust credits and are then severely CPU-limited. In addition, typical B-series sizes like B8ms provide only 32 GiB RAM while having 8 vCPUs, so they cannot meet the 64 GiB memory requirement even if the core count matches.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question specified a workload with low average CPU usage and occasional spikes, and cost reduction was a priority without mentioning 'no burstable SKU', then a B-series size would be correct.
- ✗
Pick a compute-optimized F-series size because CPU use is only moderate.
Why it's wrong here
F-series is a compute-optimized family with a high vCPU-to-RAM ratio, such as F8s_v2 having 8 vCPUs but only 16 GiB RAM. The explanation that CPU use is 'only moderate' actually argues against compute-optimized SKUs, because these machines maximize CPU throughput while sacrificing RAM capacity. An analytics reporting server needs abundant memory to hold indices and result sets, so F-series would force memory paging or OOM failures; a memory-optimized family is the correct fit.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question described a CPU-intensive workload (e.g., batch processing, high-frequency trading) with moderate memory needs and no burstable requirement, then a compute-optimized F-series would be the correct choice.
- ✗
Select the smallest VM size that supports managed disks.
Why it's wrong here
Managed disk support is available on virtually every Azure VM size, from small general-purpose SKUs upward, so it introduces no meaningful sizing constraint that aligns with the analytics workload. The smallest managed-disk-capable VM might be an Standard_B2s with 2 vCPUs and 8 GiB RAM, which is far below the required 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB RAM. Disk compatibility is a baseline feature, not a workload suitability criterion, and choosing by this alone ignores the engine's compute and memory needs.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked for the most cost-effective VM size that supports managed disks for a lightweight application with no specific vCPU or memory requirements, selecting the smallest such size would be correct.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Select a memory-optimized VM family.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Memory-optimized VM families, such as Ev4/Esv4 or M-series, are designed with a high memory-to-vCPU ratio so analytics workloads can cache large datasets in RAM. A reporting analytics engine performs sorts, joins, and aggregations that consume substantial memory, and these SKUs provide this capacity along with high memory bandwidth. Selecting this family directly satisfies the workload's dominant 64 GiB RAM requirement while still delivering 8 vCPUs.
✗Choose a burstable B-series size to lower cost.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question explicitly states 'should not use a burstable SKU', so choosing a B-series size violates that requirement. B-series VMs are burstable and not suitable for sustained memory-heavy workloads.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question specified a workload with low average CPU usage and occasional spikes, and cost reduction was a priority without mentioning 'no burstable SKU', then a B-series size would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think B-series is cost-effective for moderate CPU usage, overlooking the explicit 'no burstable' constraint and the memory-heavy nature of the workload.
✗Pick a compute-optimized F-series size because CPU use is only moderate.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The workload is memory-heavy, requiring a memory-optimized VM family. Compute-optimized F-series is designed for CPU-intensive tasks, not memory-intensive ones, and does not prioritize memory performance.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question described a CPU-intensive workload (e.g., batch processing, high-frequency trading) with moderate memory needs and no burstable requirement, then a compute-optimized F-series would be the correct choice.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that 'moderate CPU use' implies a compute-optimized VM is appropriate, overlooking the explicit memory-heavy requirement that demands a memory-optimized family.
✗Select the smallest VM size that supports managed disks.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The requirement specifies at least 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, and the smallest VM size supporting managed disks may not meet these minimums, especially for memory-heavy workloads.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked for the most cost-effective VM size that supports managed disks for a lightweight application with no specific vCPU or memory requirements, selecting the smallest such size would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that any VM supporting managed disks is sufficient, overlooking the explicit resource requirements (8 vCPUs, 64 GiB RAM) and the memory-heavy nature of the workload.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A reporting server will run an in-memory analytics application that needs 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM. The administrator wants a VM family that is a good fit for memory-heavy workloads. Which VM family should be chosen?
easy- ✓ A.Memory-optimized VM family
- B.Burstable VM family
- C.Compute-optimized VM family
- D.Storage-optimized VM family
Why A: Memory-optimized VM families (e.g., Azure E-series) are designed for workloads that require a high memory-to-vCPU ratio, such as in-memory analytics applications. The requirement of 64 GiB of RAM for 8 vCPUs (8:1 ratio) aligns with the memory-optimized profile, which offers up to 8 GiB per vCPU or more, ensuring the application's data fits entirely in RAM for low-latency processing.
Variation 2. A reporting server VM will run an analytics engine that uses a large in-memory cache. Required minimums are 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB of RAM, and the workload benefits more from memory than from extra compute. Which Azure VM series is the best fit?
medium- A.B-series, because burstable credits handle temporary spikes economically
- B.D-series, because it balances general-purpose CPU and memory
- ✓ C.E-series, because it provides memory-optimized sizing for data-intensive workloads
- D.F-series, because it is optimized for high CPU throughput
Why C: The E-series (specifically Ev3, Esv3, or Ebsv5) is memory-optimized, offering the highest memory-to-vCPU ratio among Azure general-purpose families. With a requirement of 64 GiB RAM and only 8 vCPUs, the workload benefits more from memory than compute, making the E-series the best fit. D-series provides balanced ratios but not the memory density needed, while F-series and B-series are compute- or burst-oriented and lack sufficient memory per vCPU.
Variation 3. A reporting server will run an in-memory analytics workload that needs 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB RAM. CPU usage is expected to stay moderate, but the application benefits most from memory capacity. Which VM family should the administrator choose as the starting point?
medium- A.B-series
- B.D-series
- C.F-series
- ✓ D.E-series
Why D: The E-series (memory-optimized) VM family is designed for in-memory analytics workloads that require high memory-to-CPU ratios. With 8 vCPUs and 64 GiB RAM, the workload demands 8 GiB per vCPU, which aligns with E-series specifications (typically 8–16 GiB per vCPU). D-series offers a balanced ratio (4 GiB per vCPU) and would not provide sufficient memory capacity for this workload.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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