AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
An on-premises application connects to Azure through an existing site-to-site VPN. The application must access an Azure Storage account, public network access on the storage account is disabled, and the company does not want the storage account exposed through a public endpoint. Which solution should the administrator implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse service endpoints with private endpoints, assuming that enabling a service endpoint on the VNet and trusting it in the firewall will allow on-premises traffic, but service endpoints do not provide private IP connectivity and still require the public endpoint to be enabled.
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
✓
Create a private endpoint for the storage account in a VNet reachable over the VPN and configure private DNS.
A private endpoint assigns the storage account a private IP from a VNet that is reachable over the site-to-site VPN, effectively bringing the storage account into the on-premises network without exposing a public endpoint. Private DNS zones ensure that the storage account's FQDN resolves to the private IP, enabling seamless connectivity from on-premises while public network access remains disabled.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a private endpoint for the storage account in a VNet reachable over the VPN and configure private DNS.
Why this is correct
A private endpoint gives the storage account a private IP in a VNet, and that private address can be reached from on-premises over the existing VPN. Because public network access is disabled, this is the correct design for private-only access. Private DNS ensures the application resolves the storage name to the private IP rather than the public endpoint.
- ✗
Enable a service endpoint on the on-premises network and allow the storage account firewall to trust it.
Why it's wrong here
Service endpoints are an Azure networking feature that you enable on an Azure virtual network subnet, not on an on-premises network or VPN connection. The storage account firewall can then trust traffic from that specific subnet by Source IP or virtual network rule, but an on-premises datacenter is not a subnet and cannot be added to that allow list. Even with a site-to-site VPN, the traffic from on-premises originates outside the Azure VNet, so it won't match a service-endpoint rule. Furthermore, service endpoints do not remove the public endpoint from play; they simply restrict access to it over the Microsoft backbone, which is not the same as private-only access.
When this WOULD be correct
If the on-premises application were hosted in an Azure VNet (e.g., via ExpressRoute or VPN-connected VNet) and the storage account needed to be accessed from that VNet without a private endpoint, enabling a service endpoint on the VNet subnet and configuring the storage firewall to trust that VNet would be correct.
- ✗
Generate a shared access signature and use it from the on-premises application.
Why it's wrong here
A shared access signature (SAS) only delegates authorization to specific storage operations (e.g., list, read, write) for a limited time. It does not alter the network path or create any private connectivity to the storage account. Because the storage account has public network access disabled, the SAS token is useless—it cannot be sent to the public endpoint, which is unreachable. Even if you used an SAS over the existing VPN, it would still require reaching the PaaS service over the public endpoint, which is explicitly turned off; thus, it solves authentication, not the network isolation requirement.
When this WOULD be correct
A question where public network access is enabled but the company wants to grant time-limited, delegated access to a specific storage resource (e.g., a blob) without exposing the account key, and the client can connect over the internet.
- ✗
Associate a NAT gateway with the on-premises VPN connection.
Why it's wrong here
A NAT gateway is an Azure resource that provides source network address translation for outbound internet traffic from subnets in a virtual network. It is not involved in site-to-site VPN connections and does not handle inbound traffic from on-premises. Associating a NAT gateway with a VPN connection is technically meaningless because NAT gateways are tied to subnets, not local network gateways or VPN tunnels. Even if it were possible, a NAT gateway would not give the storage account a private IP address or disable its public endpoint, so it fails to address the requirement for private connectivity to the storage account.
When this WOULD be correct
A NAT gateway would be correct in a scenario where virtual machines in a subnet need outbound internet access with a static public IP, and the requirement is to avoid using a public load balancer or default outbound access.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Create a private endpoint for the storage account in a VNet reachable over the VPN and configure private DNS.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A private endpoint gives the storage account a private IP in a VNet, and that private address can be reached from on-premises over the existing VPN. Because public network access is disabled, this is the correct design for private-only access. Private DNS ensures the application resolves the storage name to the private IP rather than the public endpoint.
✗Enable a service endpoint on the on-premises network and allow the storage account firewall to trust it.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Service endpoints expose the storage account to the entire VNet subnet, but the on-premises network is not a VNet; service endpoints cannot be applied to on-premises networks directly. Additionally, the storage account firewall trusts service endpoints only from VNets, not from on-premises.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the on-premises application were hosted in an Azure VNet (e.g., via ExpressRoute or VPN-connected VNet) and the storage account needed to be accessed from that VNet without a private endpoint, enabling a service endpoint on the VNet subnet and configuring the storage firewall to trust that VNet would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse service endpoints with private endpoints, thinking both provide secure access from on-premises, or they may incorrectly assume that service endpoints can be extended to on-premises networks via VPN.
✗Generate a shared access signature and use it from the on-premises application.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A shared access signature (SAS) provides access to a storage account via its public endpoint, but the question states public network access is disabled, so SAS cannot be used.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question where public network access is enabled but the company wants to grant time-limited, delegated access to a specific storage resource (e.g., a blob) without exposing the account key, and the client can connect over the internet.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think SAS is a secure way to grant access without a public endpoint, but they overlook that SAS still uses the public endpoint and requires public network access to be enabled.
✗Associate a NAT gateway with the on-premises VPN connection.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A NAT gateway provides outbound internet connectivity for virtual networks but does not enable private access to a storage account with public network access disabled. It cannot route traffic from on-premises over VPN to a private endpoint.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A NAT gateway would be correct in a scenario where virtual machines in a subnet need outbound internet access with a static public IP, and the requirement is to avoid using a public load balancer or default outbound access.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse NAT gateway with a method to provide private connectivity, thinking it can translate on-premises traffic to access Azure resources without public endpoints.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Visual reference
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Managed Identities for Azure Resources
Key term
VNet
A virtual private network inside a cloud provider that lets you securely connect and isolate your cloud resources.
Key term
Azure Storage
Azure Storage is Microsoft's cloud-based service for storing data like files, messages, and backups with high durability and scalability.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way 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. An on-premises application connected through a site-to-site VPN must read data from an Azure Storage account. Public network access is disabled on the storage account, and the storage service must be reachable only by a private IP address inside Azure. Which solution should the administrator implement?
medium- A.Enable a service endpoint on the on-premises network.
- ✓ B.Create a private endpoint for the storage account in an Azure VNet.
- C.Peer the on-premises network directly to the storage account.
- D.Use a shared access signature and leave public network access enabled.
Why B: A private endpoint assigns the storage account a private IP address from an Azure VNet, allowing the on-premises application to connect over the site-to-site VPN using that private IP. This ensures the storage service is reachable only within Azure's private network, even with public network access disabled. The private endpoint uses Azure Private Link to securely expose the storage account into the VNet, making it accessible via the VPN without traversing the public internet.
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.