Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Exhibit
Build server details: - Host: ONPREM-BUILD01 - Location: On-premises datacenter - Current command: az login with a user name and password - Requirement: Noninteractive Azure authentication for deployment jobs - Constraint: The server is not running in Azure.
Based on the exhibit, which identity type should be used so the on-premises build server can authenticate to Azure without using a human account password?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
System-assigned managed identity
System-assigned managed identities only work for supported Azure resources, not for an on-premises server.
B
Distractor review
User-assigned managed identity
User-assigned managed identities also require an Azure resource to attach to, so they do not fit an on-premises build server.
C
Best answer
Service principal
A service principal is the correct choice for non-Azure automation that needs to authenticate to Azure without using a person’s credentials. It can be paired with a certificate or secret and used by build and deployment tools running outside Azure.
D
Distractor review
Azure Storage access key
A storage access key is only for storage account access and does not provide Azure Resource Manager authentication.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
Related practice questions
Related AZ-104 practice-question pages
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AZ-104 virtual machine practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual machine.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A route table contains these entries: 10.0.0.0/8 with next hop Virtual appliance, and 10.1.1.0/24 with next hop Virtual network gateway. Which next hop will Azure use for traffic to 10.1.1.5?
Question 2
You are deploying a stateless web application on Azure virtual machines. The solution must automatically add and remove instances based on CPU demand and allow all instances to be managed as one logical group. Which Azure compute feature should you deploy?
Question 3
You are deploying a Windows Server VM for an internal app. The VM must support Secure Boot and vTPM later, its OS disk must survive host moves, and the team wants the lowest-cost managed disk tier that still behaves like a normal writable OS disk. Which two choices should you make? Select two.
Question 4
You need to deploy several identical virtual machines and ensure that the failure of a single Azure host does not affect all of them. Which feature should you use?
Question 5
You need to connect VNet-Hub and VNet-Spoke so that resources in both virtual networks can communicate privately over the Microsoft backbone. Both virtual networks are in the same region. What should you configure?
Question 6
You need to create a storage account that provides the lowest-cost redundant storage for non-critical data and only needs protection against local disk or server failure within a single datacenter. Which redundancy option should you choose?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Service principal — A service principal is the right identity type because the server is not running in Azure, so managed identities are not available. Service principals are designed for applications and automation that need noninteractive authentication to Azure. They can use a certificate or secret, and permissions can be limited with Azure RBAC to the exact resource scope needed by the deployment job. Why others are wrong: Managed identities require an Azure resource as the identity host, so they do not work on an on-premises server. A storage key only authenticates to storage and is not suitable for general Azure automation. The requirement is Azure API access from outside Azure, which points to a service principal.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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