- A
ReadOnly lock, because it is the most restrictive option.
Why wrong: ReadOnly would block normal updates and patching, which the business still needs to perform.
- B
CanNotDelete lock.
CanNotDelete is the appropriate lock when administrators must continue making changes but want to prevent accidental deletion. Applied at the resource group level, it protects the VM and storage account from removal while allowing normal management operations to continue.
- C
A policy assignment that denies delete operations.
Why wrong: Policy can enforce compliance rules, but a lock is the more direct tool for protecting resources from accidental deletion.
- D
No lock, because RBAC permissions already prevent deletion.
Why wrong: RBAC alone does not reliably prevent mistakes if a user has the correct permissions, so a lock is still needed.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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.
A finance department shares a resource group containing a critical VM and a storage account. Administrators must still be able to update settings and apply patches, but no one should accidentally delete the resources. Which lock should be applied at the resource group level?
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
CanNotDelete lock.
The CanNotDelete lock (option B) is correct because it prevents users from deleting the resource group or its resources, while still allowing read and update operations. This meets the requirement that administrators can update settings and apply patches, but accidental deletion is blocked. ReadOnly locks would block all write operations, including patching, which is too restrictive for this scenario.
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.
- ✗
ReadOnly lock, because it is the most restrictive option.
Why it's wrong here
ReadOnly would block normal updates and patching, which the business still needs to perform.
When this WOULD be correct
A ReadOnly lock would be correct if the requirement were to prevent any changes to resources, including configuration updates, while still allowing read access. For example, a compliance scenario where a resource's configuration must remain immutable for auditing purposes.
- ✓
CanNotDelete lock.
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete is the appropriate lock when administrators must continue making changes but want to prevent accidental deletion. Applied at the resource group level, it protects the VM and storage account from removal while allowing normal management operations to continue.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A policy assignment that denies delete operations.
Why it's wrong here
Policy can enforce compliance rules, but a lock is the more direct tool for protecting resources from accidental deletion.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required preventing deletion of specific resource types (e.g., only VMs) while allowing deletion of others, or if the organization needed to enforce additional compliance rules beyond simple deletion prevention, a custom policy assignment would be the correct answer.
- ✗
No lock, because RBAC permissions already prevent deletion.
Why it's wrong here
RBAC alone does not reliably prevent mistakes if a user has the correct permissions, so a lock is still needed.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that all users have only Reader role and no one has delete permissions, then no lock would be needed because RBAC already prevents deletion.
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.
✓CanNotDelete lock.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete is the appropriate lock when administrators must continue making changes but want to prevent accidental deletion. Applied at the resource group level, it protects the VM and storage account from removal while allowing normal management operations to continue.
✗ReadOnly lock, because it is the most restrictive option.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A ReadOnly lock prevents all write operations, including updates and patching, which contradicts the requirement that administrators must still be able to update settings and apply patches.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A ReadOnly lock would be correct if the requirement were to prevent any changes to resources, including configuration updates, while still allowing read access. For example, a compliance scenario where a resource's configuration must remain immutable for auditing purposes.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose ReadOnly because it is the most restrictive lock type, assuming that more restriction is better for preventing accidental deletion, without considering that it also blocks necessary administrative updates.
✗A policy assignment that denies delete operations.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A policy assignment denies delete operations but does not prevent modification of settings or patching; however, the question specifically asks for a lock, not a policy. Locks are simpler and apply uniformly, while policies require explicit definition and can be overridden by RBAC if not properly configured.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required preventing deletion of specific resource types (e.g., only VMs) while allowing deletion of others, or if the organization needed to enforce additional compliance rules beyond simple deletion prevention, a custom policy assignment would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Policy with resource locks, thinking policies can achieve the same result, or they may over-engineer the solution by choosing a more complex option when a simpler one suffices.
✗No lock, because RBAC permissions already prevent deletion.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
RBAC permissions alone do not prevent accidental deletion; users with Contributor or Owner roles can delete resources. A lock is needed to enforce deletion protection beyond RBAC.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that all users have only Reader role and no one has delete permissions, then no lock would be needed because RBAC already prevents deletion.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may overestimate RBAC's ability to prevent deletion, assuming that proper role assignments eliminate the need for locks, especially when 'least privilege' is emphasized.
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 often confuse ReadOnly locks with the most restrictive option and assume it is the best choice, without considering that it blocks all write operations, including necessary updates and patching.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Resource locks in Azure are applied at the subscription, resource group, or resource level and override any RBAC permissions, meaning even an Owner cannot delete a resource with a CanNotDelete lock. The lock is enforced by Azure Resource Manager at the control plane, blocking DELETE operations on the resource's REST API endpoint, while allowing PATCH and PUT operations for updates. In a real-world scenario, a finance department might use CanNotDelete locks on critical production resources to prevent accidental deletion during maintenance windows, while still allowing patching via Azure Update Management or manual updates.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Storage — This question tests Implement and Manage Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: CanNotDelete lock. — The CanNotDelete lock (option B) is correct because it prevents users from deleting the resource group or its resources, while still allowing read and update operations. This meets the requirement that administrators can update settings and apply patches, but accidental deletion is blocked. ReadOnly locks would block all write operations, including patching, which is too restrictive for this scenario.
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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