The answer is a private endpoint in AppSubnet for the storage account. This is correct because a private endpoint assigns a private IP address from the subnet directly to the storage account, making it reachable only by private IP and ensuring all traffic stays within the Microsoft Azure backbone network, completely eliminating public internet exposure. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Azure Private Link and how to secure PaaS resources by integrating them into a virtual network; a common trap is confusing a service endpoint, which still uses a public IP and routes traffic over the Microsoft backbone but does not assign a private IP, with a private endpoint that truly isolates the resource. Remember the key distinction: service endpoints keep the public endpoint, while private endpoints give the resource a private IP from your subnet. For a quick memory tip, think “Private endpoint = Private IP from your subnet; Service endpoint = Public IP with a private route.”
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.
Exhibit
Requirement summary:
- Storage account: contosostore
- Public network access: Disabled
- AppSubnet VMs must reach the storage account by private IP
- DNS for privatelink.blob.core.windows.net is already configured
Based on the exhibit, what should the administrator create so the storage account is reachable only by private IP from AppSubnet?
Requirement summary:
- Storage account: contosostore
- Public network access: Disabled
- AppSubnet VMs must reach the storage account by private IP
- DNS for privatelink.blob.core.windows.net is already configured
A
A private endpoint in AppSubnet for the storage account.
A private endpoint gives the storage account a private IP address in the VNet, which is exactly what the requirement calls for. Because public network access is disabled and DNS is already configured, this completes the private-only access path.
B
A service endpoint on AppSubnet for Microsoft.Storage.
Why wrong: Service endpoints still use the storage account's public endpoint, so they do not provide a private IP address.
C
A user-defined route to the storage account public IP.
Why wrong: Routes do not create private service addresses. They only influence how traffic is forwarded.
D
An application security group that contains the storage account.
Why wrong: Application security groups are for VM NICs in NSG rules, not for Azure Storage accounts.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A private endpoint in AppSubnet for the storage account.
A private endpoint assigns a private IP address from the AppSubnet to the storage account, making it reachable only via private IP within that subnet. This ensures all traffic to the storage account stays within the Microsoft Azure backbone network, eliminating public internet exposure. The private endpoint uses Azure Private Link to map the storage account's PaaS resource to a network interface in the virtual network.
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 private endpoint in AppSubnet for the storage account.
Why this is correct
A private endpoint gives the storage account a private IP address in the VNet, which is exactly what the requirement calls for. Because public network access is disabled and DNS is already configured, this completes the private-only access path.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A service endpoint on AppSubnet for Microsoft.Storage.
Why it's wrong here
Service endpoints still use the storage account's public endpoint, so they do not provide a private IP address.
✗
A user-defined route to the storage account public IP.
Why it's wrong here
Routes do not create private service addresses. They only influence how traffic is forwarded.
✗
An application security group that contains the storage account.
Why it's wrong here
Application security groups are for VM NICs in NSG rules, not for Azure Storage accounts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing service endpoints with private endpoints: service endpoints keep the public endpoint but restrict access via subnet firewall rules, while private endpoints assign a private IP and fully remove public exposure, which is required for reachability only by private IP.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Private Link creates a network interface (ENI) in the specified subnet with a private IP from that subnet's range, and DNS resolution for the storage account's FQDN (e.g., mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net) is overridden to resolve to that private IP when queried from the virtual network. This uses a private DNS zone (privatelink.blob.core.windows.net) linked to the virtual network, ensuring traffic never leaves the Microsoft network backbone. In contrast, service endpoints use route-based policies to enforce the public endpoint's firewall rules but do not provide a private IP address.
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.
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: A private endpoint in AppSubnet for the storage account. — A private endpoint assigns a private IP address from the AppSubnet to the storage account, making it reachable only via private IP within that subnet. This ensures all traffic to the storage account stays within the Microsoft Azure backbone network, eliminating public internet exposure. The private endpoint uses Azure Private Link to map the storage account's PaaS resource to a network interface in the virtual network.
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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