- A
Set the storage account network access to selected networks only.
Why wrong: Network restrictions limit where traffic can come from, but they do not block authentication by shared key. The problem is about authorization method, not source IP.
- B
Disable shared key authorization on the storage account.
Disabling shared key authorization blocks new requests that rely on the account key, while still allowing Microsoft Entra-based authentication paths. This is the correct control when the goal is to stop key-based access without disabling modern identity-based access.
- C
Rotate the account keys and leave all authentication methods enabled.
Why wrong: Key rotation changes the secret value, but it does not prevent applications from continuing to use shared key authorization. The requirement is to block that access pattern entirely.
- D
Enable object replication for the storage account.
Why wrong: Object replication addresses data movement between storage accounts. It does not control whether clients may authenticate with shared keys or Microsoft Entra identities.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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.
A web app currently accesses Azure Blob Storage by using the storage account key in a connection string. Security now requires blocking any new requests that use shared key authorization, while Microsoft Entra-based access must continue to work. Which storage account setting should the administrator change?
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
Disable shared key authorization on the storage account.
Option B is correct because disabling shared key authorization on the storage account explicitly blocks all requests that use the storage account key (shared key) for authentication, while still allowing requests authenticated via Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). This directly meets the security requirement to block new requests using shared key authorization without affecting Entra-based access.
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.
- ✗
Set the storage account network access to selected networks only.
Why it's wrong here
Network restrictions limit where traffic can come from, but they do not block authentication by shared key. The problem is about authorization method, not source IP.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'A web app must only be accessible from a specific corporate network. Which setting should the administrator configure to restrict access to the storage account?'
- ✓
Disable shared key authorization on the storage account.
Why this is correct
Disabling shared key authorization blocks new requests that rely on the account key, while still allowing Microsoft Entra-based authentication paths. This is the correct control when the goal is to stop key-based access without disabling modern identity-based access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Rotate the account keys and leave all authentication methods enabled.
Why it's wrong here
Key rotation changes the secret value, but it does not prevent applications from continuing to use shared key authorization. The requirement is to block that access pattern entirely.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where the question asks for a security best practice to mitigate a potential key compromise without disrupting existing connections, or where the requirement is to periodically update keys to reduce the risk of unauthorized access while keeping shared key authorization enabled.
- ✗
Enable object replication for the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
Object replication addresses data movement between storage accounts. It does not control whether clients may authenticate with shared keys or Microsoft Entra identities.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks: 'You need to ensure that blob data is automatically copied to a secondary region for disaster recovery. Which storage account setting should you configure?'
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.
✓Disable shared key authorization on the storage account.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Disabling shared key authorization blocks new requests that rely on the account key, while still allowing Microsoft Entra-based authentication paths. This is the correct control when the goal is to stop key-based access without disabling modern identity-based access.
✗Set the storage account network access to selected networks only.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Setting network access to selected networks only restricts access based on IP address or virtual network, not authentication method. It does not block shared key authorization; it only limits which networks can reach the storage account.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'A web app must only be accessible from a specific corporate network. Which setting should the administrator configure to restrict access to the storage account?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse network-level access control with authentication method control, thinking that restricting network access also blocks shared key authorization.
✗Rotate the account keys and leave all authentication methods enabled.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Rotating the account keys does not disable shared key authorization; it only changes the keys. The question requires blocking new requests using shared key authorization, which is achieved by disabling shared key authorization entirely, not by rotating keys.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where the question asks for a security best practice to mitigate a potential key compromise without disrupting existing connections, or where the requirement is to periodically update keys to reduce the risk of unauthorized access while keeping shared key authorization enabled.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that rotating keys is a way to enforce security and block unauthorized access, confusing key rotation with disabling the authentication method itself.
✗Enable object replication for the storage account.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Object replication is used to asynchronously copy blobs between storage accounts for data redundancy or compliance, not to control authentication methods. It does not block shared key authorization.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks: 'You need to ensure that blob data is automatically copied to a secondary region for disaster recovery. Which storage account setting should you configure?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'replication' with 'authentication' or think that enabling replication somehow overrides or replaces shared key access, not understanding that replication is a data feature, not a security control.
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 often confuse network-level restrictions (firewall/VNet) with authentication-level controls, mistakenly thinking that limiting network access (Option A) is equivalent to blocking shared key authorization, when in fact it only controls which IPs or VNets can reach the storage account, not how they authenticate.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Disabling shared key authorization is configured via the `AllowSharedKeyAccess` property on the storage account (set to `false`). Under the hood, this enforces that all REST API requests to Blob, Queue, Table, and File services must use OAuth 2.0 tokens from Microsoft Entra ID; any request with an `Authorization` header containing a shared key signature (e.g., `SharedKey`) is rejected with HTTP 403 (Forbidden). A real-world scenario is a security audit requiring zero-trust access where storage accounts must only accept managed identity or service principal tokens, eliminating risks of leaked account keys.
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: Disable shared key authorization on the storage account. — Option B is correct because disabling shared key authorization on the storage account explicitly blocks all requests that use the storage account key (shared key) for authentication, while still allowing requests authenticated via Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). This directly meets the security requirement to block new requests using shared key authorization without affecting Entra-based access.
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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