The answer is to associate an Azure Monitor action group with the alert rule. An action group is the essential component that defines the notification channels—such as email and SMS—and triggers them when an alert fires, so without it, the alert rule can only log the condition but cannot deliver any notifications. On the AZ-104 exam, this tests your understanding of how alert rules and action groups work together in Azure Monitor, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must distinguish between configuring the rule itself and linking the notification method. A common trap is thinking that setting the email or SMS directly in the alert rule is sufficient, but the rule only defines the condition and severity; the action group is the separate resource that handles the actual outreach. Memory tip: think of the alert rule as the “what” (CPU threshold) and the action group as the “who” (email and SMS)—they must be linked to notify.
AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.. 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.
Exhibit
Alert rule:
Name: CPU-Alert-VM01
Scope: /subscriptions/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001/resourceGroups/RG-Prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm01
Condition: Percentage CPU is greater than 80 for 5 minutes
Status: Enabled
Action groups: None
Based on the exhibit, what should the administrator configure so the alert sends email and SMS when CPU stays above the threshold?
Alert rule:
Name: CPU-Alert-VM01
Scope: /subscriptions/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001/resourceGroups/RG-Prod/providers/Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vm01
Condition: Percentage CPU is greater than 80 for 5 minutes
Status: Enabled
Action groups: None
A
Create a diagnostic setting on the virtual machine and send metrics to a Log Analytics workspace.
Why wrong: Diagnostic settings help export logs and metrics, but they do not directly deliver email or SMS notifications when an alert fires.
B
Associate an Azure Monitor action group with the alert rule.
An action group is the notification target for Azure Monitor alerts. It can send email, SMS, push notifications, and other responses when the alert condition is met.
C
Enable boot diagnostics on the virtual machine so the CPU threshold can be reported.
Why wrong: Boot diagnostics captures startup screenshots and serial console logs. It does not create operational notifications for metric alerts.
D
Apply a resource lock to the virtual machine to prevent the CPU from increasing further.
Why wrong: A resource lock controls management actions such as delete or modify. It does not monitor metrics or send alert notifications.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Associate an Azure Monitor action group with the alert rule.
An Azure Monitor action group defines the notification channels (e.g., email, SMS) and actions to trigger when an alert fires. Associating an action group with the alert rule enables the administrator to send both email and SMS when the CPU threshold is breached. Without an action group, the alert rule can only log the condition but cannot deliver notifications.
Key principle: Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.
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 diagnostic setting on the virtual machine and send metrics to a Log Analytics workspace.
Why it's wrong here
Diagnostic settings help export logs and metrics, but they do not directly deliver email or SMS notifications when an alert fires.
✓
Associate an Azure Monitor action group with the alert rule.
Why this is correct
An action group is the notification target for Azure Monitor alerts. It can send email, SMS, push notifications, and other responses when the alert condition is met.
Related concept
Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.
✗
Enable boot diagnostics on the virtual machine so the CPU threshold can be reported.
Why it's wrong here
Boot diagnostics captures startup screenshots and serial console logs. It does not create operational notifications for metric alerts.
✗
Apply a resource lock to the virtual machine to prevent the CPU from increasing further.
Why it's wrong here
A resource lock controls management actions such as delete or modify. It does not monitor metrics or send alert notifications.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse diagnostic settings (which export data) with action groups (which deliver notifications), or they mistakenly think boot diagnostics or resource locks can influence alert delivery or CPU behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Monitor action groups support multiple action types, including email, SMS, voice call, webhook, ITSM, and automation runbooks. SMS notifications are limited to 10 messages per phone number per hour to prevent spam; exceeding this quota causes throttling. When configuring an alert rule, the action group is linked via the 'Actions' tab, and the alert rule's severity and condition determine when the action group fires.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.
They can send email, SMS, push notifications, and trigger automation.
An action group is associated with an alert rule to specify alert responses.
Multiple alert rules can use the same action group for consistent notifications.
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
Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Review action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts., then practise related AZ-104 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Associate an Azure Monitor action group with the alert rule. — An Azure Monitor action group defines the notification channels (e.g., email, SMS) and actions to trigger when an alert fires. Associating an action group with the alert rule enables the administrator to send both email and SMS when the CPU threshold is breached. Without an action group, the alert rule can only log the condition but cannot deliver notifications.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Review action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts., then practise related AZ-104 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Action groups define notification preferences and actions for Azure Monitor alerts.
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