mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped

A VM-hosted automation tool must call Azure Resource Manager APIs, but the team will not store a password, certificate, or client secret on the VM. The identity should also disappear automatically when the VM is deleted. Which identity should be assigned?

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A VM-hosted automation tool must call Azure Resource Manager APIs, but the team will not store a password, certificate, or client secret on the VM. The identity should also disappear automatically when the VM is deleted. Which identity should be assigned?

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.

A

Best answer

System-assigned managed identity

A system-assigned managed identity is tied to one VM and is removed automatically when the VM is deleted.

B

Distractor review

User-assigned managed identity

A user-assigned identity can be shared and reused, which means it does not disappear with one VM.

C

Distractor review

Service principal with a client secret

A service principal requires credential management, which the requirement specifically says to avoid.

D

Distractor review

Shared access signature

A SAS token is for scoped storage access, not for general Azure Resource Manager authentication.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic

NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
  • PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
  • Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
  • NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.

TExam Day Tips

  • Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
  • Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
  • Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.

Related practice questions

Related AZ-104 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

More questions from this exam

Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this AZ-104 question test?

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: System-assigned managed identity — A system-assigned managed identity fits the requirement because it gives the VM an Azure-managed identity with no stored secrets. It is created for that specific resource, can be granted permissions through Azure RBAC, and is deleted automatically when the VM is removed. That makes it a secure choice for automation that must authenticate to Azure APIs without password, certificate, or secret management. A user-assigned identity would stay independent of the VM, which is not what the scenario asks for. Why others are wrong: A user-assigned managed identity is reusable across resources, so it does not automatically go away with the VM. A service principal still needs credential handling, which violates the no-secret requirement. A SAS token is designed for delegated storage access and is not the correct mechanism for authenticating a VM to Azure Resource Manager.

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.

Discussion

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