- A
Generate a user delegation SAS for the contractor.
A user delegation SAS avoids exposing the storage account key and is signed through Microsoft Entra authentication.
- B
Generate a service SAS by using the account key.
Why wrong: A service SAS depends on the storage account key, which the requirement explicitly says must not be shared.
- C
Set the SAS expiry to six hours.
A six-hour expiration directly satisfies the time limit and causes the access token to stop working automatically.
- D
Enable anonymous blob access on the container.
Why wrong: Anonymous access removes authentication entirely and would expose the container far beyond the contractor requirement.
- E
Create a storage account access key specifically for the contractor.
Why wrong: Storage account keys are high-privilege secrets and are not intended to be issued to individual contractors.
Quick Answer
The answer is to set the SAS expiry to six hours and generate a user delegation SAS. This is correct because a user delegation SAS is secured with Azure AD credentials rather than the storage account key, allowing the administrator to grant time-limited access without exposing the key. Setting the SAS expiry to six hours ensures the contractor’s access automatically expires after the required duration, meeting both security and time-bound requirements. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the difference between Azure user delegation SAS vs service SAS, specifically that user delegation SAS uses Azure AD for authentication and is the only SAS type that avoids sharing the account key. A common trap is choosing a service SAS, which still requires the account key or a stored access policy; remember that any question emphasizing “avoid sharing the storage account key” points directly to user delegation SAS. Memory tip: “User delegation = User’s identity, no key shared.”
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 contractor needs to upload files into one blob container for six hours. The administrator must avoid sharing the storage account key and wants the access to expire automatically. Which two actions should the administrator take? Select two.
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
Generate a user delegation SAS for the contractor.
A user delegation SAS is secured with Azure AD credentials rather than the storage account key, allowing the administrator to grant time-limited access without exposing the key. Setting the SAS expiry to six hours ensures the contractor's access automatically expires after the required duration, meeting both security and time-bound requirements.
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.
- ✓
Generate a user delegation SAS for the contractor.
Why this is correct
A user delegation SAS avoids exposing the storage account key and is signed through Microsoft Entra authentication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Generate a service SAS by using the account key.
Why it's wrong here
A service SAS depends on the storage account key, which the requirement explicitly says must not be shared.
- ✓
Set the SAS expiry to six hours.
Why this is correct
A six-hour expiration directly satisfies the time limit and causes the access token to stop working automatically.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable anonymous blob access on the container.
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous access removes authentication entirely and would expose the container far beyond the contractor requirement.
- ✗
Create a storage account access key specifically for the contractor.
Why it's wrong here
Storage account keys are high-privilege secrets and are not intended to be issued to individual contractors.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse a service SAS (which requires the account key) with a user delegation SAS (which uses Azure AD), leading them to select Option B instead of A, missing the key requirement to avoid sharing the storage account key.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A user delegation SAS is signed with Azure AD credentials via the 'UserDelegationKey' obtained from the storage account, which supports granular permissions and a maximum expiry of 7 days by default (configurable up to 7 days via RBAC). The SAS token includes fields like 'signedstart', 'signedexpiry', and 'signedpermissions' in the URI, ensuring precise control over access duration and operations. In contrast, a service SAS uses the account key and cannot be scoped to a specific user identity.
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.
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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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: Generate a user delegation SAS for the contractor. — A user delegation SAS is secured with Azure AD credentials rather than the storage account key, allowing the administrator to grant time-limited access without exposing the key. Setting the SAS expiry to six hours ensures the contractor's access automatically expires after the required duration, meeting both security and time-bound requirements.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A contractor needs to upload files into one blob container for six hours. The administrator must avoid sharing the storage account key, and the access token should keep working even if the storage account keys are rotated later. Which access mechanism should be issued?
hard- A.An account SAS signed with the storage account key
- B.A service SAS signed with the storage account key
- ✓ C.A user delegation SAS signed through Microsoft Entra authentication
- D.The storage account access key itself in a temporary script variable
Why C: A user delegation SAS is signed with Microsoft Entra credentials rather than the storage account key, so it remains valid even if the storage account keys are rotated. This meets the requirement to avoid sharing the account key while providing temporary, scoped access for exactly six hours. The contractor can upload files without the administrator exposing the account key or needing to manage key rotation.
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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