AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 VM named VM01 stopped sending Heartbeat records to Log Analytics 15 minutes ago. Which KQL query should you run to confirm the VM's recent heartbeat entries?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Heartbeat | where Computer == "VM01" and TimeGenerated > ago(15m)
The Heartbeat table in Log Analytics stores records sent by the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) or Log Analytics agent every 5 minutes by default. Querying Heartbeat with a filter for Computer == 'VM01' and TimeGenerated > ago(15m) directly checks if any heartbeat records were generated in the last 15 minutes, confirming whether the VM is still reporting. This is the correct approach because Heartbeat is the dedicated table for agent health, and the time filter matches the 15-minute window specified in the question.
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.
✓
Heartbeat | where Computer == "VM01" and TimeGenerated > ago(15m)
Why this is correct
This query filters the Heartbeat table for VM01 entries from the last 15 minutes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
AzureActivity | where ResourceProviderValue == "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines"
Why it's wrong here
This query reads activity logs, not heartbeat data from Log Analytics.
✗
Heartbeat | summarize count() by Computer
Why it's wrong here
This query counts heartbeats, but it does not limit results to the last 15 minutes.
✗
Perf | where CounterName == "% Processor Time"
Why it's wrong here
This query looks at performance counters, not the heartbeat table used for agent health.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the Heartbeat table (agent health) with AzureActivity (resource operations) or Perf (performance metrics), assuming any log data can confirm agent connectivity, but only Heartbeat provides the direct, time-stamped signal of agent liveness.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Heartbeat table is populated by the Health service of the Log Analytics agent (or AMA), which sends a record every 5 minutes (configurable) with fields like Computer, OSType, and Version. The ago() function in KQL uses the server's UTC time to filter records, and the query leverages the TimeGenerated column, which is set when the agent generates the record. In real-world scenarios, a missing heartbeat for 15 minutes (three missed intervals) often triggers an alert, as it indicates the agent may be disconnected or the VM is unresponsive.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Heartbeat | where Computer == "VM01" and TimeGenerated > ago(15m) — The Heartbeat table in Log Analytics stores records sent by the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) or Log Analytics agent every 5 minutes by default. Querying Heartbeat with a filter for Computer == 'VM01' and TimeGenerated > ago(15m) directly checks if any heartbeat records were generated in the last 15 minutes, confirming whether the VM is still reporting. This is the correct approach because Heartbeat is the dedicated table for agent health, and the time filter matches the 15-minute window specified in the question.
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.
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Question Discussion
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