- A
Azure Load Balancer
Why wrong: A load balancer distributes traffic to back-end targets, but it does not provide interactive secure management access.
- B
Azure Bastion
Azure Bastion provides secure browser-based RDP and SSH access to VMs in a virtual network without needing public IP addresses on the VMs. It also avoids exposing management ports directly to the internet and does not require the user to install a VPN client. This makes it a strong fit for controlled administrative access in locked-down environments.
- C
VPN Gateway point-to-site only
Why wrong: A VPN Gateway requires a client or network tunnel and is not the same as browser-based VM management access.
- D
Application Gateway
Why wrong: Application Gateway is for HTTP/HTTPS application delivery, not direct administrative sessions to VM operating systems.
Quick Answer
The answer is Azure Bastion. This service is the correct choice because it enables secure, browser-based RDP and SSH access to Azure VMs without requiring a public IP address, a VPN client, or any exposed RDP/SSH ports to the internet. Azure Bastion deploys a hardened bastion host directly inside your virtual network, proxying all connections over TLS through the Azure portal, which perfectly satisfies the requirement for browser-based VM access without public IP or additional client software. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of secure remote access solutions and often appears as a trap where candidates might mistakenly choose a jump box, VPN gateway, or just-in-time VM access—but only Bastion provides native browser-based connectivity without any public endpoint. A useful memory tip: think of Bastion as the "portal proxy" that keeps VMs completely private while giving you a browser window to RDP or SSH, so remember "no public IP, no VPN, just the portal."
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 operations team must administer Windows and Linux VMs that have no public IP addresses. They want to connect from a browser without installing a VPN client and without exposing RDP or SSH to the internet. Which Azure service should they deploy?
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
Azure Bastion
Azure Bastion provides secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to virtual machines directly from the Azure portal over TLS, without requiring a public IP address on the VM, a VPN client, or exposing RDP/SSH ports to the internet. It uses a hardened bastion host inside the virtual network, proxying connections via the browser, which satisfies the requirement for browser-based access without additional client software.
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.
- ✗
Azure Load Balancer
Why it's wrong here
A load balancer distributes traffic to back-end targets, but it does not provide interactive secure management access.
- ✓
Azure Bastion
Why this is correct
Azure Bastion provides secure browser-based RDP and SSH access to VMs in a virtual network without needing public IP addresses on the VMs. It also avoids exposing management ports directly to the internet and does not require the user to install a VPN client. This makes it a strong fit for controlled administrative access in locked-down environments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
VPN Gateway point-to-site only
- ✗
Application Gateway
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Bastion with a VPN gateway or jump box, mistakenly thinking a VPN client or public IP is required for administrative access, when Bastion eliminates both by proxying connections directly from the Azure portal.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Bastion provisions a fully managed PaaS service inside the virtual network, using a dedicated subnet called AzureBastionSubnet (minimum /27). It leverages TLS 1.2 for browser-based connections and uses Azure Active Directory authentication and Azure RBAC for access control, eliminating the need for a jump box. Under the hood, it creates a secure WebSocket tunnel over HTTPS, translating browser RDP/SSH traffic into native protocol packets sent to the target VM's private IP.
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 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.
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.
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Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Bastion — Azure Bastion provides secure, seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to virtual machines directly from the Azure portal over TLS, without requiring a public IP address on the VM, a VPN client, or exposing RDP/SSH ports to the internet. It uses a hardened bastion host inside the virtual network, proxying connections via the browser, which satisfies the requirement for browser-based access without additional client software.
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.
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