The correct answer is to add a Log Analytics workspace destination to the diagnostic setting. This is because the current configuration only archives logs to a storage account, which provides cold, immutable storage but does not support interactive querying, workbooks, or alert rules. By sending the same diagnostic data to a Log Analytics workspace, the logs become searchable via KQL, enabling the security team to create queries for workbooks and alerts while retaining 30 days of searchable data. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that diagnostic settings can have multiple destinations simultaneously—a common trap is assuming you must choose between archive and analytics, when in fact you can send logs to both. Remember that storage accounts are for long-term, low-cost retention, while Log Analytics workspaces are for real-time analysis and alerting. A helpful memory tip: “Archive to storage, analyze to workspace—send to both for best results.”
AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. 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.
Exhibit
Storage account diagnostics
---------------------------
Diagnostic settings: storage-diag
Logs: Enabled
Destinations:
- Archive to storage account: Yes
- Event Hub: No
- Log Analytics workspace: No
Operational requirement
----------------------
Search logs in KQL
Build workbook charts
Create log-based alerts
Keep data queryable for 30 days
Based on the exhibit, the security team needs 30 days of searchable log data for a storage account and wants to create queries that can be used in workbooks and alerts. The current configuration only sends data to an archive location. What should the administrator configure?
Storage account diagnostics
---------------------------
Diagnostic settings: storage-diag
Logs: Enabled
Destinations:
- Archive to storage account: Yes
- Event Hub: No
- Log Analytics workspace: No
Operational requirement
----------------------
Search logs in KQL
Build workbook charts
Create log-based alerts
Keep data queryable for 30 days
A
Add a Log Analytics workspace destination to the diagnostic setting.
Log Analytics is the destination that supports KQL searches, workbook visualizations, and log-based alert rules. Adding it to the diagnostic setting gives the security team queryable operational data for the required retention period.
B
Change the storage account redundancy to RA-GRS.
Why wrong: Redundancy improves data durability, but it does not make diagnostic logs searchable in KQL or usable for alerts.
C
Enable a CanNotDelete lock on the storage account.
Why wrong: A lock protects the resource from deletion, but it does not route logs or provide analytic capabilities.
D
Configure a private endpoint for the storage account.
Why wrong: Private connectivity affects network access, not where diagnostics are sent or how long they remain queryable.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add a Log Analytics workspace destination to the diagnostic setting.
Option A is correct because the current diagnostic setting only archives logs to a storage account, which does not support interactive querying, workbooks, or alert rules. By adding a Log Analytics workspace destination to the same diagnostic setting, logs are sent to a centralized workspace where they become searchable via KQL, enabling real-time queries, workbook visualizations, and alert triggers. This meets the security team's requirement for 30 days of searchable log data without changing the existing archive destination.
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.
✓
Add a Log Analytics workspace destination to the diagnostic setting.
Why this is correct
Log Analytics is the destination that supports KQL searches, workbook visualizations, and log-based alert rules. Adding it to the diagnostic setting gives the security team queryable operational data for the required retention period.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the storage account redundancy to RA-GRS.
Why it's wrong here
Redundancy improves data durability, but it does not make diagnostic logs searchable in KQL or usable for alerts.
✗
Enable a CanNotDelete lock on the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
A lock protects the resource from deletion, but it does not route logs or provide analytic capabilities.
✗
Configure a private endpoint for the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
Private connectivity affects network access, not where diagnostics are sent or how long they remain queryable.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think archiving logs to a storage account is sufficient for querying, but Azure Storage does not provide native log search or alerting capabilities—only Log Analytics workspaces enable interactive queries, workbooks, and alerts.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Diagnostic Settings can send platform logs and metrics to multiple destinations simultaneously, including Log Analytics workspaces, storage accounts, and Event Hubs. When logs are sent to a Log Analytics workspace, they are ingested into a dedicated table (e.g., StorageBlobLogs) and retained according to the workspace's retention policy, which can be set to 30 days or more. This allows the use of Kusto Query Language (KQL) for real-time analysis, creation of workbooks, and configuration of alert rules based on log patterns—capabilities not available when logs are only archived to blob storage.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a Log Analytics workspace destination to the diagnostic setting. — Option A is correct because the current diagnostic setting only archives logs to a storage account, which does not support interactive querying, workbooks, or alert rules. By adding a Log Analytics workspace destination to the same diagnostic setting, logs are sent to a centralized workspace where they become searchable via KQL, enabling real-time queries, workbook visualizations, and alert triggers. This meets the security team's requirement for 30 days of searchable log data without changing the existing archive destination.
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.
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