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?

B-series

B-series is burstable and better for variable light workloads, not steady memory-heavy analytics.

D-series

D-series is a balanced general-purpose family, but it is not optimized primarily for memory capacity.

F-series

F-series emphasizes compute, which is less suitable when memory is the main sizing concern.

What does this AZ-104 question test?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: E-series — E-series is the best starting point because the workload is memory-heavy and only moderately CPU-intensive. Memory-optimized VM families are designed for applications such as analytics, large caches, and in-memory processing where RAM is more important than raw compute. Choosing E-series helps the administrator align the VM architecture with the workload requirement instead of paying for unnecessary CPU-focused capacity. B-series and D-series are more general purpose, while F-series is geared toward compute-intensive scenarios. Why others are wrong: B-series is intended for bursty, lower-cost workloads that do not need consistently high memory. D-series is balanced and often a safe default, but it is not the best fit when memory is the clear priority. F-series emphasizes CPU throughput, which does not match a workload whose main need is large RAM capacity.

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.