AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
A web app in a subnet must access a storage account through the storage account's public FQDN. Access must be limited to that single subnet, and the team does not want to deploy a private endpoint or manage private DNS records. Which configuration should you use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse service endpoints with private endpoints, assuming that service endpoints require private IPs or DNS changes, when in fact service endpoints work with the public FQDN and only require enabling the endpoint on the subnet and configuring the storage account's network rules.
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
✓
Enable a service endpoint on the subnet and allow that subnet in the storage account network rules.
A service endpoint on the subnet allows the web app to access the storage account via its public FQDN while restricting access to that specific subnet. By enabling the Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on the subnet and adding the subnet's virtual network rule to the storage account's network rules, traffic from the subnet to the storage account's public endpoint is routed through the Azure backbone network, and only traffic from that subnet is permitted. This meets the requirement of limiting access without deploying a private endpoint or managing private DNS records.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Deploy a private endpoint and private DNS zone.
Why it's wrong here
Deploying a private endpoint assigns a private IP to the storage account from the subnet, which then requires a private DNS zone to resolve the storage public FQDN to that internal address. This adds DNS record management, private IP planning, and zone linking/peering overhead that the requirement explicitly wants to avoid. Service endpoints achieve subnet-restricted access without these private networking components, so this option is unnecessarily complex.
- ✓
Enable a service endpoint on the subnet and allow that subnet in the storage account network rules.
Why this is correct
Enabling the Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on the subnet keeps the storage account's public FQDN and public endpoint, while Azure filters traffic so only the subnet's traffic is allowed. You then add that subnet to the storage account's network rules (firewall), which rejects requests from other subnets or the internet. This gives subnet-scoped access control with no private IPs, no DNS zone, and no extra routing configuration, making it the correct, least-complex answer.
- ✗
Add a route table that sends storage traffic to an NVA.
Why it's wrong here
Adding a route table with user-defined routes sends storage-bound traffic to an NVA for inspection, but it does not restrict who can reach the storage account; the storage account's own network rules remain unchanged and still allow other clients. An NVA also introduces availability, performance, and cost burdens, and it typically requires additional IP addressing or SNAT configuration. Thus, this approach fails the requirement of limiting access to a single subnet and instead only alters the traffic path.
- ✗
Place the storage account behind a public load balancer.
Why it's wrong here
A public load balancer operates at the transport layer and forwards connections to backend VM pool members; it cannot sit in front of a PaaS storage account because storage accounts are not load-balanced backends and already expose a directly reachable public endpoint. Load balancer rules do not evaluate the source subnet to grant or deny access to the storage account, and the storage account's firewall would remain separate. Therefore, this arrangement is technically invalid and does not provide any subnet-scoped access control.
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Related to this question
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Managed Identities for Azure Resources
Key term
Virtual network
A virtual network is a software-based network that connects computers, servers, and devices over the internet or within a cloud environment, simulating a physical network without requiring dedicated hardware.
Key term
DNS
DNS is the system that translates human-friendly domain names like example.com into machine-readable IP addresses so computers can find each other on a network.
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Same concept, more angles
5 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A team wants to allow a subnet to access a storage account only from that subnet, but they do not want to create a private endpoint or change DNS. The storage account should still be reachable through its public endpoint, just not from other networks. What should the administrator configure?
medium- A.A private endpoint for the storage account and a private DNS zone.
- B.A public IP address for the subnet and a storage account firewall exception.
- ✓ C.A service endpoint on the subnet and a storage firewall rule allowing that subnet.
- D.An NSG rule that permits outbound TCP 443 to the storage account.
Why C: A service endpoint on the subnet extends the virtual network identity to the storage account, allowing the storage firewall to restrict access to traffic originating from that specific subnet. This ensures the storage account remains reachable via its public endpoint, but only from the configured subnet, without requiring a private endpoint or DNS changes.
Variation 2. An application on a VM in subnet AppSubnet must access a storage account over the public endpoint. The security team wants to allow traffic only from AppSubnet and does not want to deploy a private endpoint. What should the administrator configure?
medium- A.Disable the storage account firewall and rely on the VM's source IP address.
- ✓ B.Enable the Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on AppSubnet and allow that virtual network in the storage account firewall.
- C.Create a private endpoint and leave the firewall set to allow all networks.
- D.Grant the VM Contributor access to the storage account and the network rule will be enforced automatically.
Why B: Enabling a Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on AppSubnet allows traffic from that subnet to the storage account over the Azure backbone network, while still using the public endpoint. Then, configuring the storage account firewall to allow that virtual network restricts access exclusively to AppSubnet, meeting the security requirement without deploying a private endpoint.
Variation 3. An application runs on an Azure VM in a subnet and must access a storage account over the public endpoint without using a private IP address. The administrator wants to restrict access so only that subnet can reach the account. What should be configured?
medium- A.Create a private endpoint for the storage account and disable the public endpoint.
- ✓ B.Enable a service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage on the subnet and add the subnet to the storage account network rules.
- C.Allow trusted Microsoft services to bypass the firewall.
- D.Add a user-defined route that points storage traffic to the virtual network gateway.
Why B: A service endpoint for Microsoft.Storage extends the virtual network identity to the subnet, allowing the storage account firewall to accept traffic from that subnet via its public endpoint. This meets the requirement of restricting access to the storage account's public endpoint without using a private IP address.
Variation 4. A development subnet must access an Azure Storage account privately, but the security team does not want to create a private IP in the VNet. They only want the subnet identity to be extended to the storage service. Which feature should the administrator configure?
medium- A.Private endpoint
- ✓ B.Service endpoint
- C.Azure Front Door
- D.Network security group outbound rule
Why B: A service endpoint extends the VNet identity to the Azure Storage service, allowing traffic from the subnet to reach the storage account over the Azure backbone network without requiring a private IP. This meets the requirement of private access without creating a private IP in the VNet, as the subnet's identity is used for access control via the storage account firewall.
Variation 5. Based on the exhibit, the security team wants AppSubnet to access an Azure Storage account through the public endpoint, but only that subnet should be allowed. They do not want a private IP or DNS changes. What should the administrator configure?
medium- ✓ A.Enable the Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on AppSubnet and add AppSubnet as a network rule on the storage account.
- B.Create a private endpoint for the storage account and disable public access.
- C.Attach a route table that sends storage traffic to the internet.
- D.Grant the subnet a Reader role assignment on the storage account.
Why A: Enabling the Microsoft.Storage service endpoint on AppSubnet allows traffic from that subnet to reach the storage account over the Azure backbone network using the public endpoint, without requiring a private IP or DNS changes. Adding AppSubnet as a network rule on the storage account restricts access exclusively to that subnet, fulfilling the security team's requirement.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.