- A
Manually create each VM in the Azure portal
Why wrong: Manual portal deployment is not repeatable, is harder to review, and increases configuration drift.
- B
Use a Bicep template stored in source control
Bicep is infrastructure as code, so the VM deployment can be versioned, reviewed, and deployed repeatedly.
- C
Capture a screenshot of the portal settings for future reference
Why wrong: A screenshot documents settings but cannot deploy infrastructure or enforce consistency across runs.
- D
Use Azure Policy to create the VMs automatically
Why wrong: Azure Policy can enforce settings, but it is not a deployment language for creating the VM topology.
Question 224 of 1,170
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.
An operations team must deploy 20 identical application VMs every sprint from source control and wants the deployment definition to be readable and repeatable. Which approach should they use?
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
✓
Use a Bicep template stored in source control
B is correct because Bicep is a domain-specific language (DSL) for deploying Azure resources declaratively. Storing a Bicep template in source control ensures the deployment definition is readable (using concise syntax) and repeatable (via idempotent deployments), meeting the team's requirement for 20 identical VMs every sprint.
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.
- ✗
Manually create each VM in the Azure portal
Why it's wrong here
Manual portal deployment is not repeatable, is harder to review, and increases configuration drift.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked for a one-time deployment of a single VM for testing purposes, where the team needs to quickly evaluate portal features without automation requirements.
- ✓
Use a Bicep template stored in source control
Why this is correct
Bicep is infrastructure as code, so the VM deployment can be versioned, reviewed, and deployed repeatedly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Capture a screenshot of the portal settings for future reference
Why it's wrong here
A screenshot documents settings but cannot deploy infrastructure or enforce consistency across runs.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked for a method to document manual configuration steps for a one-time deployment where automation is not required, a screenshot could serve as a visual reference for recreating settings.
- ✗
Use Azure Policy to create the VMs automatically
Why it's wrong here
Azure Policy can enforce settings, but it is not a deployment language for creating the VM topology.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks: 'You need to ensure that all VMs in a subscription have a specific tag and are located in allowed regions. Which approach should you use?' In that scenario, Azure Policy would be correct to enforce those rules.
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.
✓Use a Bicep template stored in source controlCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Bicep is infrastructure as code, so the VM deployment can be versioned, reviewed, and deployed repeatedly.
✗Manually create each VM in the Azure portalWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Manually creating each VM in the Azure portal is not repeatable or scalable for 20 identical VMs every sprint, and it cannot be stored in source control for versioning and automation.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked for a one-time deployment of a single VM for testing purposes, where the team needs to quickly evaluate portal features without automation requirements.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think manual creation is straightforward and familiar, underestimating the need for repeatability and source control integration in a DevOps scenario.
✗Capture a screenshot of the portal settings for future referenceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Capturing a screenshot of portal settings does not provide a machine-readable, repeatable deployment definition; it lacks automation and version control, making it unsuitable for deploying 20 identical VMs every sprint.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked for a method to document manual configuration steps for a one-time deployment where automation is not required, a screenshot could serve as a visual reference for recreating settings.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a screenshot is a quick way to document settings without learning infrastructure-as-code tools, underestimating the need for repeatability and automation in DevOps workflows.
✗Use Azure Policy to create the VMs automaticallyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Azure Policy is used to enforce compliance rules and audit configurations, not to deploy resources. It cannot create VMs automatically; it only evaluates or remediates existing resources.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks: 'You need to ensure that all VMs in a subscription have a specific tag and are located in allowed regions. Which approach should you use?' In that scenario, Azure Policy would be correct to enforce those rules.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think Azure Policy can automate deployment because it can apply configurations automatically, but it lacks the capability to provision new resources like VMs.
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?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Azure Policy with a deployment tool, but Azure Policy only audits or enforces rules (e.g., requiring a specific tag) and cannot provision resources like VMs, whereas Bicep is designed specifically for declarative infrastructure deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Bicep templates are transpiled into ARM JSON templates, which Azure Resource Manager uses to orchestrate resource creation. Under the hood, Bicep supports modules, loops (e.g., `for` loops to create 20 VMs), and conditional deployment, ensuring idempotency—running the same template multiple times produces the same state. In a real-world sprint scenario, the team can parameterize VM size, admin credentials, and network settings, then use Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy the Bicep file from source control, enabling CI/CD for infrastructure.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
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: Use a Bicep template stored in source control — B is correct because Bicep is a domain-specific language (DSL) for deploying Azure resources declaratively. Storing a Bicep template in source control ensures the deployment definition is readable (using concise syntax) and repeatable (via idempotent deployments), meeting the team's requirement for 20 identical VMs every sprint.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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