- A
ReadOnly lock on the resource group.
Why wrong: ReadOnly prevents most write operations, which would interfere with normal maintenance and updates.
- B
CanNotDelete lock on the resource group.
CanNotDelete blocks deletion while still allowing normal update operations on the resources.
- C
A policy assignment that denies delete operations.
Why wrong: Azure Policy is not the primary tool for preventing accidental deletion in this scenario.
- D
A management group assignment with Contributor removed.
Why wrong: Removing broad permissions is not the same as applying a targeted deletion safeguard to the resource group.
Question 238 of 1,170
AZ-104 Manage Azure Identities and Governance Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of manage azure identities and governance. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 shared resource group contains a critical virtual machine and a storage account. Administrators must still be able to update settings, but nobody should accidentally delete either resource during routine maintenance. Which lock should be applied?
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 on the resource group.
The CanNotDelete lock on the resource group prevents deletion of the resource group and all resources within it, while still allowing administrators to update settings. This meets the requirement of protecting both the critical VM and storage account from accidental deletion during routine maintenance, without blocking configuration changes.
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 on the resource group.
Why it's wrong here
ReadOnly prevents most write operations, which would interfere with normal maintenance and updates.
When this WOULD be correct
A ReadOnly lock would be correct if the requirement was to prevent any changes (including updates) to resources, such as for a compliance or audit scenario where resources must remain static.
- ✓
CanNotDelete lock on the resource group.
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete blocks deletion while still allowing normal update operations on the resources.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A policy assignment that denies delete operations.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Policy is not the primary tool for preventing accidental deletion in this scenario.
When this WOULD be correct
This option 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 scenario involved enforcing compliance rules across multiple subscriptions without using locks.
- ✗
A management group assignment with Contributor removed.
Why it's wrong here
Removing broad permissions is not the same as applying a targeted deletion safeguard to the resource group.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question asked for a way to prevent all users in a specific management group from deleting any resources across multiple subscriptions, while still allowing them to manage resources, then removing the Contributor role at the management group level would be correct.
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 on the resource group.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
CanNotDelete blocks deletion while still allowing normal update operations on the resources.
✗ReadOnly lock on the resource group.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A ReadOnly lock prevents all write operations, including updating settings, which violates the requirement that administrators must still be able to update settings.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A ReadOnly lock would be correct if the requirement was to prevent any changes (including updates) to resources, such as for a compliance or audit scenario where resources must remain static.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a ReadOnly lock is sufficient to prevent deletion, but they overlook that it also blocks updates, which is not allowed in this scenario.
✗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 it does not prevent deletion of the resource group itself or allow updates to settings; it only blocks specific actions at the resource level, and policies can be overridden by higher-privileged roles, unlike locks which are universally enforced.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option 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 scenario involved enforcing compliance rules across multiple subscriptions without using locks.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Azure Policy with resource locks, thinking policies can also prevent accidental deletion, but policies are for governance and compliance, not for universal protection against deletion like locks.
✗A management group assignment with Contributor removed.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A management group assignment with Contributor removed would affect all subscriptions under that management group, not just the specific resource group, and it does not prevent deletion of individual resources within the resource group.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question asked for a way to prevent all users in a specific management group from deleting any resources across multiple subscriptions, while still allowing them to manage resources, then removing the Contributor role at the management group level would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that removing Contributor at a higher scope (management group) is a simpler way to prevent deletions, but they overlook that it affects a broader scope and does not target the specific resource group as required.
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 Azure Policy with resource locks, thinking a deny policy can prevent deletion, but locks are the only mechanism that directly blocks delete operations at the resource level regardless of RBAC permissions.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Azure Policy is not the primary tool for preventing accidental deletion in this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Resource Manager locks are applied at the resource, resource group, or subscription scope and are inherited by child resources. The CanNotDelete lock uses the `Microsoft.Authorization/locks` resource type and is enforced by Azure RBAC, meaning even users with Owner permissions cannot delete the resource unless the lock is first removed. This is distinct from Azure Policy, which uses `policyDefinitions` and `policyAssignments` to enforce rules but does not block actions at the resource provider level; locks are evaluated after RBAC authorization and before the resource provider processes the request.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Manage Azure Identities and Governance — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
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: CanNotDelete lock on the resource group. — The CanNotDelete lock on the resource group prevents deletion of the resource group and all resources within it, while still allowing administrators to update settings. This meets the requirement of protecting both the critical VM and storage account from accidental deletion during routine maintenance, without blocking configuration changes.
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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