The answer is a virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules. This is the correct choice because a VMSS is purpose-built for stateless workloads, allowing you to automatically scale out to more instances during peak business hours and scale in during off-peak hours without risking data loss, as each instance is disposable and identical. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how autoscale stateless web app VMSS configurations differ from services like Azure App Service or standalone VMs, which either lack the same granular scaling control or are designed for stateful applications. A common trap is choosing App Service for its built-in autoscaling, but the question’s emphasis on a stateless architecture and explicit instance count adjustments points directly to VMSS. Memory tip: think “Stateless = Scale Set” — if the app can lose any instance and keep running, a VMSS with autoscale rules is your go-to.
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. 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
Monitoring summary:
- CPU averages 18% from 00:00 to 08:00
- CPU averages 74% from 09:00 to 17:00
- CPU averages 22% after 18:00
- The application is stateless and can run on any instance
Based on the exhibit, which Azure compute service should you deploy for a stateless web app that needs more instances during business hours and fewer at night?
Monitoring summary:
- CPU averages 18% from 00:00 to 08:00
- CPU averages 74% from 09:00 to 17:00
- CPU averages 22% after 18:00
- The application is stateless and can run on any instance
A
A single larger virtual machine.
Why wrong: A larger single VM can increase capacity, but it cannot automatically add or remove instances based on demand.
B
A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules.
A virtual machine scale set is the right choice because it can run multiple identical instances and scale them automatically when demand changes. The exhibit shows predictable workload spikes, and the app is stateless, so instances can be added or removed without affecting user sessions.
C
An availability set with two VMs.
Why wrong: An availability set improves availability, but it does not provide automatic scale-out or scale-in based on CPU usage.
D
A dedicated host with one VM per host.
Why wrong: A dedicated host gives physical isolation, but it does not help the workload grow and shrink with traffic patterns.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules.
A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules is the correct choice because it automatically adjusts the number of VM instances based on demand, scaling out during business hours and scaling in at night. This matches the stateless web app requirement, as scale sets are designed for stateless workloads where instances can be added or removed without data loss.
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 single larger virtual machine.
Why it's wrong here
A larger single VM can increase capacity, but it cannot automatically add or remove instances based on demand.
✓
A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules.
Why this is correct
A virtual machine scale set is the right choice because it can run multiple identical instances and scale them automatically when demand changes. The exhibit shows predictable workload spikes, and the app is stateless, so instances can be added or removed without affecting user sessions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
An availability set with two VMs.
Why it's wrong here
An availability set improves availability, but it does not provide automatic scale-out or scale-in based on CPU usage.
✗
A dedicated host with one VM per host.
Why it's wrong here
A dedicated host gives physical isolation, but it does not help the workload grow and shrink with traffic patterns.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse availability sets (high availability) with autoscaling, or think a single large VM can handle variable load by resizing, but autoscaling requires horizontal scaling via VMSS.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure VMSS uses autoscale rules based on metrics like CPU percentage or request count, leveraging the Azure Monitor autoscale engine to trigger scale-out or scale-in operations. Under the hood, scale sets use a load balancer (Azure Load Balancer or Application Gateway) to distribute traffic across instances, and the autoscale rules define cool-down periods to prevent flapping. In a real-world scenario, a stateless web app like an e-commerce site would use VMSS to handle peak shopping hours and reduce costs at night.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-104 question in full detail.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules. — A virtual machine scale set with autoscale rules is the correct choice because it automatically adjusts the number of VM instances based on demand, scaling out during business hours and scaling in at night. This matches the stateless web app requirement, as scale sets are designed for stateless workloads where instances can be added or removed without data loss.
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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