The answer is Azure Bastion, the correct service to deploy for secure browser access to Azure VMs without public IPs. This service provides seamless, browser-based RDP and SSH connectivity directly from the Azure portal over TLS, acting as a fully managed jump server within the same virtual network. Because it brokers connections through a hardened bastion host, it eliminates the need for public IP addresses on the VMs and avoids any VPN client installation on admin laptops, satisfying both the security and connectivity requirements. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure remote access solutions, often appearing as a distractor against VPN gateways or just-in-time VM access—a common trap is assuming a VPN is required when the key constraint is "no client software." Remember the memory tip: "Bastion is browser-based, no public IP needed, no VPN client to feed."
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. 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.
Administrators need to connect to Windows and Linux VMs from the Azure portal using a browser. The VMs do not have public IP addresses, and the security team does not want a VPN client installed on admin laptops. Which service should be deployed?
Why wrong: VPN Gateway creates encrypted network tunnels, but it does not provide portal-based browser access to individual VMs.
B
Azure Load Balancer
Why wrong: A load balancer distributes traffic; it does not provide administrative shell access to VMs.
C
A network security group with RDP and SSH rules
Why wrong: An NSG only filters traffic. It does not supply the management path the admins are asking for.
D
Azure Bastion
Azure Bastion provides secure browser-based RDP and SSH to VMs that have no public IP addresses. It keeps management traffic inside Azure and avoids exposing administrative ports to the internet or requiring a client VPN on the administrator's device.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Bastion
Azure Bastion provides secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to Azure VMs directly from the Azure portal over TLS, without requiring public IP addresses on the VMs or a VPN client on the admin's laptop. It uses a hardened bastion host deployed in the same virtual network, acting as a jump server that brokers browser-based connections, meeting both the security and connectivity requirements.
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.
✗
Azure VPN Gateway
Why it's wrong here
VPNGateway creates encrypted network tunnels, but it does not provide portal-based browser access to individual VMs.
✗
Azure Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
A load balancer distributes traffic; it does not provide administrative shell access to VMs.
✗
A network security group with RDP and SSH rules
Why it's wrong here
An NSG only filters traffic. It does not supply the management path the admins are asking for.
✓
Azure Bastion
Why this is correct
Azure Bastion provides secure browser-based RDP and SSH to VMs that have no public IP addresses. It keeps management traffic inside Azure and avoids exposing administrative ports to the internet or requiring a client VPN on the administrator's device.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Bastion with a VPNgateway or assume that an NSG with RDP/SSH rules alone is sufficient for secure browser-based access, overlooking the requirement for no public IPs and no client software.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Bastion provisions a fully managed PaaS service inside a virtual network, using a dedicated subnet named 'AzureBastionSubnet' with a /26 or larger prefix. It leverages the Azure portal's HTML5-based client to proxy RDP (port 3389) and SSH (port 22) traffic over HTTPS (port 443), ensuring no public IP is assigned to the target VMs and all traffic remains within the Azure backbone. In a real-world scenario, this eliminates the need for complex VPN configurations while still supporting just-in-time access and integration with Azure AD authentication for conditional access policies.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Bastion — Azure Bastion provides secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to Azure VMs directly from the Azure portal over TLS, without requiring public IP addresses on the VMs or a VPN client on the admin's laptop. It uses a hardened bastion host deployed in the same virtual network, acting as a jump server that brokers browser-based connections, meeting both the security and connectivity requirements.
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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