AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
Exhibit
VM summary: Name: vm-web-01 Current size: Standard_D2s_v5 Average CPU over 24 hours: 91% Average memory pressure: 87% Business requirement: increase compute capacity while keeping the OS disk, installed applications, and data intact
Based on the exhibit, what should the administrator do to meet the performance requirement without rebuilding the server?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse performance scaling with high availability or storage optimization, mistakenly choosing to add a data disk or use an availability set when the real need is to increase compute capacity.
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
✓
Resize the VM to a larger SKU that provides more vCPU and RAM.
Resizing the VM to a larger SKU with more vCPU and RAM directly addresses the performance requirement by providing additional compute and memory resources to the existing server without requiring a rebuild. This is the correct approach because the VM's current SKU is insufficient for the workload, and Azure allows resizing within the same hardware family or to a compatible series, preserving the OS and application state.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Attach an additional data disk and move the application binaries to it.
Why it's wrong here
Attaching a data disk increases storage capacity and may improve I/O throughput by separating data from the OS disk, but it does not add vCPUs or increase the amount of RAM available to the VM. The exhibit shows sustained high CPU and memory utilization, which are compute resources that cannot be expanded by adding a disk. Moving the application binaries changes the file path but does not reduce the processing load; the same CPU/RAM constraints still apply. Therefore, this action is irrelevant to the performance bottleneck.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the performance requirement was to reduce I/O latency for application binaries, and the current disk is slow (e.g., HDD) while the new data disk is SSD. The question would specify that the VM has sufficient vCPU/RAM but disk performance is the issue.
- ✓
Resize the VM to a larger SKU that provides more vCPU and RAM.
Why this is correct
Resizing a VM is the standard way to increase compute capacity while preserving the existing OS disk and installed applications. The exhibit shows sustained high CPU and memory pressure, so moving to a larger size such as a higher D-series SKU addresses the bottleneck directly. This avoids rebuilding the server and keeps the workload on the same VM configuration with more resources.
- ✗
Redeploy the VM from a different marketplace image.
Why it's wrong here
Redeploying from a different marketplace image replaces the OS and application stack entirely, requiring reconfiguration and data loss unless the data disk is detached and reattached. It does not address the root cause of CPU/memory exhaustion because the new image would still run on the same VM size with the same resource limits. Moreover, redeployment is a disruptive troubleshooting step reserved for issues like host failure or underlying infrastructure problems, not for scaling compute capacity. Thus it is an inappropriate and lengthy way to meet the performance requirement.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question stated that the current VM image has a known performance bug or missing drivers, and the requirement is to fix the software environment without changing the VM size or rebuilding from scratch.
- ✗
Place the VM in an availability set to spread processing across hosts.
Why it's wrong here
An availability set is a logical grouping of VMs that Azure distributes across fault domains and update domains to protect against hardware failures and maintenance downtime. It does not alter the size, SKU, or resource limits of any individual VM within the set; each VM still runs on its own allocated vCPUs and RAM. Spreading processing across hosts would require multiple VMs and load balancing, but the question asks about a single VM that needs more compute resources. Thus, it does not relieve the CPU/memory pressure indicated in the exhibit.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked how to ensure high availability for the application during Azure host maintenance or failures, without needing to increase performance.
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.
✓Resize the VM to a larger SKU that provides more vCPU and RAM.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Resizing a VM is the standard way to increase compute capacity while preserving the existing OS disk and installed applications. The exhibit shows sustained high CPU and memory pressure, so moving to a larger size such as a higher D-series SKU addresses the bottleneck directly. This avoids rebuilding the server and keeps the workload on the same VM configuration with more resources.
✗Attach an additional data disk and move the application binaries to it.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Moving application binaries to a data disk does not increase vCPU or RAM, which are the likely bottleneck for performance. The question implies a need for more compute resources, not storage.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the performance requirement was to reduce I/O latency for application binaries, and the current disk is slow (e.g., HDD) while the new data disk is SSD. The question would specify that the VM has sufficient vCPU/RAM but disk performance is the issue.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that adding a disk and moving binaries can improve performance by separating data from OS, but they overlook that the core issue is likely CPU/memory, not disk I/O.
✗Redeploy the VM from a different marketplace image.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Redeploying the VM from a different marketplace image would not change the VM's SKU or performance characteristics; it would only replace the OS and software, not address the underlying resource constraints (vCPU/RAM).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question stated that the current VM image has a known performance bug or missing drivers, and the requirement is to fix the software environment without changing the VM size or rebuilding from scratch.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that a different marketplace image could provide better performance or newer drivers, confusing software optimization with hardware resource scaling.
✗Place the VM in an availability set to spread processing across hosts.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Placing the VM in an availability set does not increase vCPU or RAM; it only provides high availability by distributing VMs across fault and update domains, which does not address the performance requirement for more compute resources.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked how to ensure high availability for the application during Azure host maintenance or failures, without needing to increase performance.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse high availability with performance scaling, thinking that spreading the VM across hosts will improve performance by distributing load, but availability sets do not affect resource allocation per VM.
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?”
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.