- A
Read the blob directly from the Archive tier because archive data remains immediately online
Why wrong: Archive blobs are offline, so they cannot be read immediately without first being rehydrated.
- B
Change the blob tier from Archive to Hot or Cool and wait for rehydration to finish
Changing the tier from Archive to an online tier starts rehydration, after which the blob becomes readable again.
- C
Copy the blob to a new container in the same account to bypass the archive restriction
Why wrong: Copying does not bypass archive behavior; the source blob still needs rehydration before normal read access.
- D
Assign an Azure RBAC role to the auditor so the archived blob becomes available immediately
Why wrong: Permissions do not make archive data online; access still depends on rehydration completing first.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
An administrator archives monthly log exports in a blob container to reduce storage cost. During an audit, one archived blob must be downloaded and opened later the same day. What must the administrator do before the blob can be read?
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
Change the blob tier from Archive to Hot or Cool and wait for rehydration to finish
Blobs stored in the Archive tier are offline and must be rehydrated to the Hot or Cool tier before they can be read. Rehydration can take up to 15 hours, so the administrator must initiate a tier change and wait for completion before downloading the blob. Option B correctly identifies this required step.
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.
- ✗
Read the blob directly from the Archive tier because archive data remains immediately online
Why it's wrong here
Archive blobs are offline, so they cannot be read immediately without first being rehydrated.
- ✓
Change the blob tier from Archive to Hot or Cool and wait for rehydration to finish
Why this is correct
Changing the tier from Archive to an online tier starts rehydration, after which the blob becomes readable again.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Copy the blob to a new container in the same account to bypass the archive restriction
Why it's wrong here
Copying does not bypass archive behavior; the source blob still needs rehydration before normal read access.
- ✗
Assign an Azure RBAC role to the auditor so the archived blob becomes available immediately
Why it's wrong here
Permissions do not make archive data online; access still depends on rehydration completing first.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume Archive tier blobs are always accessible with the right permissions, but Azure explicitly keeps Archive blobs offline to minimize cost, requiring a manual rehydration step before any read or copy operation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Rehydration involves changing the blob tier from Archive to Hot or Cool, which moves the data from offline storage to online storage. The rehydration process can take from 1 to 15 hours depending on the priority (Standard or High). During rehydration, the blob's tier status changes to 'rehydrate-pending-to-hot' or 'rehydrate-pending-to-cool', and the blob is only readable once the tier change completes. This is critical for compliance scenarios where archived logs must be accessed within a specific time window.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Implement and Manage Storage — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-104 questions
1,170 questions across all exam domains
- →
AZ-104 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-104 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
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.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Manage Azure Identities and Governance.
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Storage.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Deploy and Manage Azure Compute.
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Virtual Networking.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources.
AZ-104 Azure RBAC practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure RBAC.
AZ-104 storage account practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 storage account.
AZ-104 virtual network practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual network.
AZ-104 NSG practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 NSG.
AZ-104 Azure Monitor practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure Monitor.
AZ-104 backup practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 backup.
AZ-104 managed identity practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 managed identity.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-104 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: Change the blob tier from Archive to Hot or Cool and wait for rehydration to finish — Blobs stored in the Archive tier are offline and must be rehydrated to the Hot or Cool tier before they can be read. Rehydration can take up to 15 hours, so the administrator must initiate a tier change and wait for completion before downloading the blob. Option B correctly identifies this required step.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.