The answer is to assign the role at the resource group scope for RG-App. This is correct because Azure RBAC permissions are inherited from higher scopes down, so assigning the Virtual Machine Contributor role directly to the resource group limits the contractor’s ability to start and stop VMs exclusively within RG-App, while blocking access to any resources in other resource groups or at the subscription level. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of scope-based access control and the principle of least privilege—a common trap is choosing the subscription scope, which would grant the contractor permissions across all resource groups, violating the security requirement. To remember this, think of the resource group as a locked room: assign the key only to that room’s door, not the building’s main entrance.
AZ-104 Manage Azure Identities and Governance Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of manage azure identities and governance. 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
Tenant: Contoso
Subscription: Prod-Sub
Resource groups:
- RG-App
- RG-Data
- RG-Net
Requirement:
- Helpdesk contractors must start and stop all VMs only in RG-App.
- They must not see or manage resources in the other resource groups.
Based on the exhibit, where should the administrator assign the role so the contractor can start and stop virtual machines only in RG-App and nothing else?
Tenant: Contoso
Subscription: Prod-Sub
Resource groups:
- RG-App
- RG-Data
- RG-Net
Requirement:
- Helpdesk contractors must start and stop all VMs only in RG-App.
- They must not see or manage resources in the other resource groups.
A
Assign the role at the subscription scope so it covers the contractor's work area.
Why wrong: This would give the contractor access to every resource group in the subscription, which is broader than required.
B
Assign the role at the resource group scope for RG-App.
This is the narrowest scope that still reaches all virtual machines inside RG-App. RBAC permissions assigned at the resource group level apply only to resources in that group, which fits the requirement to manage VMs there without affecting RG-Data or RG-Net.
C
Assign the role at the management group scope above the subscription.
Why wrong: A management group scope is even broader than a subscription and would extend access to more subscriptions than needed.
D
Assign the role directly to one virtual machine only, because that is always the best scope.
Why wrong: That would restrict access to a single VM, not all VMs in RG-App, so it does not satisfy the requirement.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Assign the role at the resource group scope for RG-App.
The contractor needs to manage virtual machines only within RG-App. Azure RBAC allows you to assign the Virtual Machine Contributor role at the resource group scope, which grants permissions to start and stop VMs within that specific resource group while preventing access to resources in other resource groups or at higher scopes. Assigning at the subscription or management group level would grant permissions across all resource groups, violating the principle of least privilege.
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.
✗
Assign the role at the subscription scope so it covers the contractor's work area.
Why it's wrong here
This would give the contractor access to every resource group in the subscription, which is broader than required.
✓
Assign the role at the resource group scope for RG-App.
Why this is correct
This is the narrowest scope that still reaches all virtual machines inside RG-App. RBAC permissions assigned at the resource group level apply only to resources in that group, which fits the requirement to manage VMs there without affecting RG-Data or RG-Net.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Assign the role at the management group scope above the subscription.
Why it's wrong here
A management group scope is even broader than a subscription and would extend access to more subscriptions than needed.
✗
Assign the role directly to one virtual machine only, because that is always the best scope.
Why it's wrong here
That would restrict access to a single VM, not all VMs in RG-App, so it does not satisfy the requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume assigning at the subscription scope is simpler and still 'covers the work area,' failing to recognize that it violates least privilege by granting access to all resource groups, not just RG-App.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure RBAC uses a hierarchical inheritance model: permissions assigned at a higher scope (management group, subscription, resource group) are inherited by all child scopes. The Virtual Machine Contributor role includes 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action' and 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/deallocate/action' actions, which allow starting and stopping VMs. By assigning this role at the resource group scope, the contractor's effective permissions are limited to that resource group, and Azure's deny assignments (e.g., from Azure Policy) can further restrict actions if needed.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance — This question tests Manage Azure Identities and Governance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Assign the role at the resource group scope for RG-App. — The contractor needs to manage virtual machines only within RG-App. Azure RBAC allows you to assign the Virtual Machine Contributor role at the resource group scope, which grants permissions to start and stop VMs within that specific resource group while preventing access to resources in other resource groups or at higher scopes. Assigning at the subscription or management group level would grant permissions across all resource groups, violating the principle of least privilege.
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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