A subnet NSG contains these inbound rules: Deny-All-Inbound at priority 300, Allow-HTTPS-From-Bastion at priority 200, and Allow-HTTPS-From-AdminIP at priority 350. An administrator expects a management workstation on the internet to connect to a VM over TCP 443, but the connection is blocked. What is the most likely reason?
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.
Distractor review
NSG rules are evaluated from the highest priority number to the lowest priority number.
Azure NSGs evaluate lower priority numbers first, so this statement reverses the actual order.
Best answer
The deny rule at priority 300 is matched before the allow rule at priority 350.
NSG rules are processed in ascending order, where the lowest priority number wins. In this case, Deny-All-Inbound at 300 is evaluated before the new allow rule at 350. Because the deny rule matches inbound traffic first, the packet is blocked and the later allow rule never gets a chance. The fix is to give the allow rule a lower number than 300 or otherwise narrow the deny rule.
Distractor review
Azure NSGs cannot allow inbound traffic from public IP addresses.
NSGs can absolutely allow traffic from public IPs when the rule scope and priority are configured correctly.
Distractor review
TCP 443 requires an application security group to be used as the source.
Application security groups are optional targeting tools and are not required for allowing HTTPS from a public source IP.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The deny rule at priority 300 is matched before the allow rule at priority 350. — The block happens because NSG processing is priority-based, and lower numbers are evaluated first. Since the deny rule is at 300 and the new allow rule is at 350, the deny matches before the allow can take effect. To fix it, the administrator should place the allow rule at a priority lower than 300, assuming the source, destination, protocol, and port also match the traffic being tested. Why others are wrong: NSGs do not use descending priority order, so the first option describes the opposite of Azure behavior. Public IP sources are allowed when explicitly permitted, so that is not a limitation. Application security groups can simplify targeting, but they are not a requirement for allowing HTTPS from a management workstation. The issue here is rule order, not the source type.
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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