- A
Open the blob directly from the Archive tier because archived blobs remain online for read access.
Why wrong: Archive tier blobs are offline and cannot be read directly. They must be rehydrated before access is possible.
- B
Start rehydration of the blob to the Hot tier before opening it.
Archived blobs are not immediately readable, so the administrator must rehydrate the blob back to an online tier first. Hot is appropriate when the file needs to be accessible again as soon as the rehydration completes and may be used actively during the audit. This is the correct operational response when the blob must be read later the same day.
- C
Change the blob to the Cold tier, because Cold is designed for archived content.
Why wrong: Cold is an online tier for infrequently accessed data, but it is not the same as Archive. Data already in Archive still needs rehydration before moving back online.
- D
Use a snapshot of the archived blob, because snapshots can be opened even when the base blob is archived.
Why wrong: A snapshot still depends on the underlying blob state and does not bypass Archive tier behavior. It is not a replacement for rehydration.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 archived monthly log exports in a blob container six weeks ago. An auditor now needs to open one of those files later today, and the file must be readable from Azure Storage rather than restored from a separate backup copy. What should the administrator do?
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
Start rehydration of the blob to the Hot tier before opening it.
Option B is correct because blobs in the Archive tier are offline and cannot be read directly. To access the data, the blob must first be rehydrated to the Hot or Cool tier, which changes its state to online and readable. Rehydration can take up to 15 hours, so the administrator must start this process well before the auditor needs the file.
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.
- ✗
Open the blob directly from the Archive tier because archived blobs remain online for read access.
Why it's wrong here
Archive tier blobs are offline and cannot be read directly. They must be rehydrated before access is possible.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that the blob was in the Cool or Cold tier (online tiers), then opening it directly would be correct because those tiers allow immediate read access.
- ✓
Start rehydration of the blob to the Hot tier before opening it.
Why this is correct
Archived blobs are not immediately readable, so the administrator must rehydrate the blob back to an online tier first. Hot is appropriate when the file needs to be accessible again as soon as the rehydration completes and may be used actively during the audit. This is the correct operational response when the blob must be read later the same day.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the blob to the Cold tier, because Cold is designed for archived content.
Why it's wrong here
Cold is an online tier for infrequently accessed data, but it is not the same as Archive. Data already in Archive still needs rehydration before moving back online.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'An administrator wants to reduce storage costs for monthly logs that are accessed quarterly but must be available within seconds. What tier should they use?' In that scenario, Cold tier is appropriate for infrequent access with low latency requirements.
- ✗
Use a snapshot of the archived blob, because snapshots can be opened even when the base blob is archived.
Why it's wrong here
A snapshot still depends on the underlying blob state and does not bypass Archive tier behavior. It is not a replacement for rehydration.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked about accessing a blob that is in the Hot or Cool tier, and the administrator needed to preserve the original blob state while making a point-in-time copy available, using a snapshot 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.
✓Start rehydration of the blob to the Hot tier before opening it.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Archived blobs are not immediately readable, so the administrator must rehydrate the blob back to an online tier first. Hot is appropriate when the file needs to be accessible again as soon as the rehydration completes and may be used actively during the audit. This is the correct operational response when the blob must be read later the same day.
✗Open the blob directly from the Archive tier because archived blobs remain online for read access.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Archived blobs are offline and cannot be read directly; they must be rehydrated to an online tier (Hot, Cool, or Cold) before access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that the blob was in the Cool or Cold tier (online tiers), then opening it directly would be correct because those tiers allow immediate read access.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly believe that the Archive tier still allows read access, confusing it with the Cool or Cold tiers which are online but have lower availability.
✗Change the blob to the Cold tier, because Cold is designed for archived content.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The Cold tier is not designed for archived content; it is for data accessed less frequently but still requiring immediate availability. Archived blobs must be rehydrated to Hot or Cool tier before reading, and Cold tier does not support direct reading of archived blobs.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'An administrator wants to reduce storage costs for monthly logs that are accessed quarterly but must be available within seconds. What tier should they use?' In that scenario, Cold tier is appropriate for infrequent access with low latency requirements.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the Cold tier with the Archive tier, thinking 'Cold' implies frozen or archived data, and assume it can directly serve archived blobs without rehydration.
✗Use a snapshot of the archived blob, because snapshots can be opened even when the base blob is archived.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Snapshots of an archived blob are also in the Archive tier and cannot be read directly; they require rehydration just like the base blob.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked about accessing a blob that is in the Hot or Cool tier, and the administrator needed to preserve the original blob state while making a point-in-time copy available, using a snapshot would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly believe that snapshots bypass tier restrictions, thinking they provide a separate, instantly accessible copy regardless of the base blob's tier.
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 assume archived blobs are still readable because they appear in the storage account listing, but Azure's Archive tier explicitly stores data offline, requiring explicit rehydration before any read operation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Rehydration involves changing the blob's tier from Archive to Hot or Cool, which triggers an asynchronous copy of the blob data to an online tier. During rehydration, the blob remains in the Archive tier until the operation completes, and the blob's access tier property updates only after the data is fully online. The rehydration priority (Standard or High) affects the time to completion, with High priority typically completing within 1 hour for objects under 10 GB.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
What to study next
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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: Start rehydration of the blob to the Hot tier before opening it. — Option B is correct because blobs in the Archive tier are offline and cannot be read directly. To access the data, the blob must first be rehydrated to the Hot or Cool tier, which changes its state to online and readable. Rehydration can take up to 15 hours, so the administrator must start this process well before the auditor needs the file.
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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