- A
A snapshot of the reference VM's OS disk
Why wrong: A snapshot is useful for point-in-time backup or cloning, but it is not a versioned shared image catalog for repeatable deployments.
- B
An image version in Azure Compute Gallery
Azure Compute Gallery is designed for publishing, versioning, and distributing custom VM images. It lets administrators capture a hardened reference image, create managed versions, and deploy consistent new VMs from that approved build across environments or regions.
- C
An availability set for the reference VM
Why wrong: An availability set improves resiliency by separating VMs across fault and update domains, but it does not capture the software build for reuse.
- D
A custom script extension on each new VM
Why wrong: A custom script extension can install software after deployment, but it is not the preferred way to package a reusable golden image.
Quick Answer
The answer is an image version in Azure Compute Gallery, not a snapshot, because it captures the entire VM configuration—including IIS, the monitoring agent, and security settings—into a reusable, versioned image that supports standardized deployments. While a snapshot only captures disk state at a point in time and lacks versioning and regional replication, an image version in Azure Compute Gallery stores the full OS and data disk configuration as a managed image definition, allowing you to create multiple versions for easy updates and rollbacks. On the AZ-104 exam, this question tests your understanding of Azure Compute Gallery’s role in VM image management and lifecycle, often appearing as a scenario where you must choose between a snapshot (a one-off backup) and a gallery image (a versioned, shareable template). A common trap is selecting a snapshot because it seems simpler, but snapshots cannot be versioned or used to deploy standardized VMs across regions. Memory tip: think “Gallery for gold images, snapshot for quick saves.”
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A team standardizes 30 Windows VMs for a line-of-business application. They install IIS, a monitoring agent, and baseline security settings on one reference VM. Future deployments must use that same build and be easy to version. Which Azure feature should the administrator create?
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
An image version in Azure Compute Gallery
B is correct because an image version in Azure Compute Gallery (formerly Shared Image Gallery) captures the entire VM configuration—including IIS, monitoring agent, and security settings—into a reusable, versioned image. This allows the team to deploy standardized VMs from the same build and easily manage updates by creating new image versions, meeting the requirements for consistency and versioning.
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.
- ✗
A snapshot of the reference VM's OS disk
Why it's wrong here
A snapshot is useful for point-in-time backup or cloning, but it is not a versioned shared image catalog for repeatable deployments.
- ✓
An image version in Azure Compute Gallery
Why this is correct
Azure Compute Gallery is designed for publishing, versioning, and distributing custom VM images. It lets administrators capture a hardened reference image, create managed versions, and deploy consistent new VMs from that approved build across environments or regions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
An availability set for the reference VM
Why it's wrong here
An availability set improves resiliency by separating VMs across fault and update domains, but it does not capture the software build for reuse.
- ✗
A custom script extension on each new VM
Why it's wrong here
A custom script extension can install software after deployment, but it is not the preferred way to package a reusable golden image.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a snapshot with an image, thinking a snapshot can be used to deploy standardized VMs, but snapshots lack versioning, regional replication, and the ability to create multiple VMs directly without additional conversion steps.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Compute Gallery stores image definitions and versions, supporting replication across regions and sharing within or across subscriptions. Each image version is a full VM capture (OS disk + data disks) that can be used to create multiple VMs, and versioning allows rollback or incremental updates—critical for maintaining compliance in regulated environments. The gallery uses Azure RBAC for access control and can integrate with Azure Policy to enforce deployment standards.
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.
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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Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions
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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: An image version in Azure Compute Gallery — B is correct because an image version in Azure Compute Gallery (formerly Shared Image Gallery) captures the entire VM configuration—including IIS, monitoring agent, and security settings—into a reusable, versioned image. This allows the team to deploy standardized VMs from the same build and easily manage updates by creating new image versions, meeting the requirements for consistency and versioning.
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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