- A
ReadOnly on the resource group
Why wrong: ReadOnly blocks write operations, so it would also prevent the VM size and tag changes that must remain allowed.
- B
CanNotDelete on the resource group
CanNotDelete is the correct lock when you want to stop accidental deletion but still allow configuration changes. Applied at the resource group scope, it protects the group and the resources inside it from being deleted while still permitting updates such as resizing a VM or changing tags. That makes it ideal for a maintenance freeze.
- C
CanNotDelete on the management group
Why wrong: That would protect far more than the single production resource group and could affect unrelated subscriptions.
- D
An Azure Policy deny assignment
Why wrong: Policy can enforce rules, but this question specifically asks for a lock that prevents deletion while allowing writes.
AZ-104 Manage Azure Identities and Governance Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of manage azure identities and governance. 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.
During a change freeze, administrators must prevent deletion of a production resource group and all resources inside it, but they still need to update VM sizes and tags. Which lock should be applied?
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
CanNotDelete on the resource group
The CanNotDelete lock on the resource group prevents deletion of the resource group and all resources within it, while still allowing read and update operations such as modifying VM sizes and tags. This meets the requirement of blocking deletions during the change freeze without restricting updates. ReadOnly locks would block all write operations, including the needed updates.
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.
- ✗
ReadOnly on the resource group
Why it's wrong here
ReadOnly blocks write operations, so it would also prevent the VM size and tag changes that must remain allowed.
When this WOULD be correct
If the requirement were to prevent any changes (including updates) to the resource group and its resources, while still allowing read access, a ReadOnly lock would be correct.
- ✓
CanNotDelete on the resource group
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete is the correct lock when you want to stop accidental deletion but still allow configuration changes. Applied at the resource group scope, it protects the group and the resources inside it from being deleted while still permitting updates such as resizing a VM or changing tags. That makes it ideal for a maintenance freeze.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
CanNotDelete on the management group
Why it's wrong here
That would protect far more than the single production resource group and could affect unrelated subscriptions.
When this WOULD be correct
A question where the requirement is to prevent deletion of all resource groups within a management group (e.g., all production subscriptions) while still allowing updates to resources inside them. For example: 'You need to ensure that no resource groups can be deleted in the production management group, but administrators can still modify resources. Which lock should you apply?'
- ✗
An Azure Policy deny assignment
Why it's wrong here
Policy can enforce rules, but this question specifically asks for a lock that prevents deletion while allowing writes.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required preventing any changes to resources (including updates to VM sizes and tags) while still allowing reads, a deny assignment or ReadOnly lock would be correct.
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.
✓CanNotDelete on the resource groupCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete is the correct lock when you want to stop accidental deletion but still allow configuration changes. Applied at the resource group scope, it protects the group and the resources inside it from being deleted while still permitting updates such as resizing a VM or changing tags. That makes it ideal for a maintenance freeze.
✗ReadOnly on the resource groupWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
ReadOnly lock prevents all write operations, including updating VM sizes and tags, which contradicts the requirement to allow those updates.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the requirement were to prevent any changes (including updates) to the resource group and its resources, while still allowing read access, a ReadOnly lock would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'prevent deletion' with 'prevent changes', assuming ReadOnly is needed to block deletions, but ReadOnly is more restrictive than necessary.
✗CanNotDelete on the management groupWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Applying CanNotDelete on the management group would block deletion of all resource groups under that management group, but the question only requires preventing deletion of a single production resource group. Additionally, it does not address the need to allow updates to VM sizes and tags, which is already permitted with CanNotDelete at the resource group level.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question where the requirement is to prevent deletion of all resource groups within a management group (e.g., all production subscriptions) while still allowing updates to resources inside them. For example: 'You need to ensure that no resource groups can be deleted in the production management group, but administrators can still modify resources. Which lock should you apply?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that applying the lock at a higher scope (management group) is more efficient or provides broader protection, overlooking that the question specifies a single resource group and that the lock at the management group would affect all child resource groups, which is not required.
✗An Azure Policy deny assignmentWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An Azure Policy deny assignment can block updates to VM sizes and tags, which contradicts the requirement that administrators still need to update those properties.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required preventing any changes to resources (including updates to VM sizes and tags) while still allowing reads, a deny assignment or ReadOnly lock would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a deny assignment provides more granular control, but it would overly restrict the required update operations.
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?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse CanNotDelete with ReadOnly, assuming that any lock will block updates, but CanNotDelete specifically allows modifications while only preventing deletion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure resource locks operate at the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) layer, applying to control plane operations (e.g., DELETE, PUT) but not to data plane operations. The CanNotDelete lock specifically blocks DELETE requests on the resource group and its child resources, while allowing PUT and PATCH requests for updates. This lock is inherited by all resources within the scope, so applying it at the resource group level ensures that no resource inside can be deleted, even if a user has Contributor or Owner permissions.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Manage Azure Identities and Governance — This question tests Manage Azure Identities and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: CanNotDelete on the resource group — The CanNotDelete lock on the resource group prevents deletion of the resource group and all resources within it, while still allowing read and update operations such as modifying VM sizes and tags. This meets the requirement of blocking deletions during the change freeze without restricting updates. ReadOnly locks would block all write operations, including the needed updates.
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 →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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