- A
A static private IP address for each backend VM.
Why wrong: Static IPs can reduce change, but they do not scale well and are not the best way to target a workload tier in an NSG.
- B
An Application Security Group that contains the backend VMs.
Application Security Groups let the administrator group backend VMs logically and reference that group in NSG rules instead of individual IP addresses. This is ideal when backend IPs change or VMs are replaced. The NSG rule remains stable while the backend membership changes, which reduces operational overhead and improves consistency.
- C
A user-defined route pointing frontend traffic to the backend subnet.
Why wrong: A route changes packet forwarding, but it does not create an authorization rule or replace NSG targeting.
- D
A private endpoint for the backend tier.
Why wrong: Private endpoints are for PaaS services, not for grouping Azure VMs inside a subnet for NSG rules.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. 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.
Backend virtual machines are rebuilt frequently and often receive different private IP addresses. An administrator must allow the frontend tier to reach the backend tier on TCP 8443 without editing NSG rules every time the backend IP changes. What should the administrator use in the NSG rule?
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 Application Security Group that contains the backend VMs.
An Application Security Group (ASG) allows you to group backend VMs logically and reference that group in a Network Security Group (NSG) rule. When backend VMs are rebuilt and receive new private IPs, you simply add the new VMs to the same ASG, and the existing NSG rule (which references the ASG as the destination) automatically applies to the new IPs without any manual rule edits. This decouples security policy from dynamic IP addresses, making it the ideal solution for frequently changing backend IPs.
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 static private IP address for each backend VM.
Why it's wrong here
Static IPs can reduce change, but they do not scale well and are not the best way to target a workload tier in an NSG.
- ✓
An Application Security Group that contains the backend VMs.
Why this is correct
Application Security Groups let the administrator group backend VMs logically and reference that group in NSG rules instead of individual IP addresses. This is ideal when backend IPs change or VMs are replaced. The NSG rule remains stable while the backend membership changes, which reduces operational overhead and improves consistency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A user-defined route pointing frontend traffic to the backend subnet.
Why it's wrong here
A route changes packet forwarding, but it does not create an authorization rule or replace NSG targeting.
- ✗
A private endpoint for the backend tier.
Why it's wrong here
Private endpoints are for PaaS services, not for grouping Azure VMs inside a subnet for NSG rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Application Security Groups (logical grouping for NSG rules) with User-Defined Routes (path control) or Private Endpoints (PaaS connectivity), leading them to pick a routing or endpoint solution instead of the correct security-grouping mechanism.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, an Application Security Group is a resource that contains references to VM NICs. When you create an NSG rule with an ASG as the source or destination, Azure translates the ASG membership into a set of IP addresses at runtime. This means that as VMs are added or removed from the ASG, the NSG rule automatically updates its effective IP list without any manual intervention. In a real-world scenario, you could use Azure Policy or automation scripts to automatically add newly provisioned backend VMs to the ASG, ensuring zero-touch security compliance.
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.
- →
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-104 questions
1,170 questions across all exam domains
- →
AZ-104 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-104 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related AZ-104 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Manage Azure Identities and Governance.
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Storage.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Deploy and Manage Azure Compute.
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Virtual Networking.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources.
AZ-104 Azure RBAC practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure RBAC.
AZ-104 storage account practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 storage account.
AZ-104 virtual network practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual network.
AZ-104 NSG practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 NSG.
AZ-104 Azure Monitor practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure Monitor.
AZ-104 backup practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 backup.
AZ-104 managed identity practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 managed identity.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-104 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: An Application Security Group that contains the backend VMs. — An Application Security Group (ASG) allows you to group backend VMs logically and reference that group in a Network Security Group (NSG) rule. When backend VMs are rebuilt and receive new private IPs, you simply add the new VMs to the same ASG, and the existing NSG rule (which references the ASG as the destination) automatically applies to the new IPs without any manual rule edits. This decouples security policy from dynamic IP addresses, making it the ideal solution for frequently changing backend IPs.
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 →
Keep practising
More AZ-104 practice questions
- A storage automation service principal must upload, read, and delete blob data in one container by using Microsoft Entra…
- A subnet contains several application servers. You need to allow inbound TCP 3389 only from a management subnet named Su…
- A subscription admin wants to investigate who changed a resource and also review the platform-generated events for that…
- Based on the exhibit, which Azure feature should the administrator use to track this kind of platform-wide service issue…
- An administrator wants a script running on an Azure VM to create a resource in Azure without storing any passwords or cl…
- A PowerShell script runs on an Azure VM every night and uses Azure CLI commands to create tags and VM resources in anoth…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.