- A
Assign the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container.
This uses Entra ID-based authorization without storing secrets on the VM. A managed identity is tied to the VM lifecycle, so when the VM is deleted, the identity is removed too. The Storage Blob Data Contributor role grants the data-plane permissions needed to upload blobs, while keeping access scoped to only the required storage resource.
- B
Create an account SAS token with write permissions and store it in a secure file on the VM.
Why wrong: An account SAS is still a secret that must be stored and protected on the VM. It also remains valid until it expires or is revoked, so access does not automatically end when the VM is deleted. It is broader than necessary for a single application workload.
- C
Assign the Reader role on the storage account to the VM's computer account.
Why wrong: Reader is a management-plane role and does not grant data-plane permissions to upload blobs. The application would still be unable to write files to the container. This choice confuses resource visibility with actual storage data access.
- D
Enable shared key access and rotate the storage account keys regularly.
Why wrong: Shared keys allow broad access and create secret-management overhead. Rotating keys does not bind access to the VM lifecycle and does not provide least privilege. This approach is weaker than using managed identity plus a scoped RBAC role.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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 team runs a Windows VM in Azure that uploads invoices to a blob container. Security policy forbids storing storage account keys or long-lived SAS tokens on the VM. The app must keep working until the VM is deleted, and access should disappear automatically when the VM is removed. 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
Assign the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container.
Option A is correct because assigning the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container allows the VM to authenticate to Azure Blob Storage without storing any keys or tokens. Managed identities provide an automatically managed service principal in Azure AD, and the application can use the Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) to obtain an access token. When the VM is deleted, the managed identity is automatically removed, and the role assignment becomes invalid, so access disappears immediately.
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.
- ✓
Assign the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container.
Why this is correct
This uses Entra ID-based authorization without storing secrets on the VM. A managed identity is tied to the VM lifecycle, so when the VM is deleted, the identity is removed too. The Storage Blob Data Contributor role grants the data-plane permissions needed to upload blobs, while keeping access scoped to only the required storage resource.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create an account SAS token with write permissions and store it in a secure file on the VM.
Why it's wrong here
An account SAS is still a secret that must be stored and protected on the VM. It also remains valid until it expires or is revoked, so access does not automatically end when the VM is deleted. It is broader than necessary for a single application workload.
- ✗
Assign the Reader role on the storage account to the VM's computer account.
Why it's wrong here
Reader is a management-plane role and does not grant data-plane permissions to upload blobs. The application would still be unable to write files to the container. This choice confuses resource visibility with actual storage data access.
- ✗
Enable shared key access and rotate the storage account keys regularly.
Why it's wrong here
Shared keys allow broad access and create secret-management overhead. Rotating keys does not bind access to the VM lifecycle and does not provide least privilege. This approach is weaker than using managed identity plus a scoped RBAC role.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the Reader role (management plane) with data plane roles like Storage Blob Data Contributor, or they assume that storing a SAS token securely is acceptable despite the explicit policy forbidding it.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Reader is a management-plane role and does not grant data-plane permissions to upload blobs. The application would still be unable to write files to the container. This choice confuses resource visibility with actual storage data access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Managed identities use Azure AD tokens obtained via the IMDS endpoint (169.254.169.254) with OAuth 2.0 client credentials grant flow. The token is valid for a default of 8 hours and is automatically refreshed by the Azure SDK. Role assignments are evaluated at runtime by Azure RBAC, and when the managed identity is deleted (e.g., VM deletion), the service principal is removed, making the role assignment orphaned and effectively revoking access immediately.
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?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Assign the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container. — Option A is correct because assigning the VM's managed identity the Storage Blob Data Contributor role on the storage account or container allows the VM to authenticate to Azure Blob Storage without storing any keys or tokens. Managed identities provide an automatically managed service principal in Azure AD, and the application can use the Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) to obtain an access token. When the VM is deleted, the managed identity is automatically removed, and the role assignment becomes invalid, so access disappears immediately.
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
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.
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