- A
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action grants the ability to start the VM without broader management permissions.
This action is the precise permission needed to power on a virtual machine. It is narrower than Contributor and does not expose unrelated capabilities such as deleting the VM or changing attached resources. Using this action supports least privilege for operational support tasks.
- B
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/restart/action permits a controlled restart operation on the target VM.
This action authorizes the restart operation specifically, which is separate from generic write or delete permissions. It allows the support engineer to perform the required maintenance task while keeping the role tightly scoped and avoiding access to networking or access-control operations.
- C
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete gives the ability to remove the VM from the subscription.
Why wrong: Delete is far too permissive for a support-only role. It would allow destruction of the virtual machine, which is explicitly not required and would create unnecessary risk. This option is the opposite of least privilege for routine operations.
- D
Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write is needed because a VM start or restart always requires NIC modification rights.
Why wrong: Starting or restarting a VM does not require permission to change the network interface. Granting NIC write access would broaden the role into network administration, which the requirement explicitly excludes. That would be excessive and unrelated to the task.
- E
Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would let the engineer grant access to other users and manage permissions.
Why wrong: Role assignment write permissions are administrative access-control rights, not VM operations. Including them would let the engineer modify authorization for many resources, which is not needed and would violate the requirement to avoid granting access-management capabilities.
AZ-104 Manage Azure Identities and Governance Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of manage azure identities and governance. 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 support engineer must start and restart one specific virtual machine from the Azure portal, but must not be able to delete the VM, change networking, or grant access to others. Which two actions should be included in a custom role? Select two.
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
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action grants the ability to start the VM without broader management permissions.
Option A is correct because Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action is a specific permission that allows starting a VM without granting broader management capabilities like deletion or network changes. This action is part of the Azure RBAC role definition and can be included in a custom role to limit the support engineer's scope to only starting the VM.
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.
- ✓
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action grants the ability to start the VM without broader management permissions.
Why this is correct
This action is the precise permission needed to power on a virtual machine. It is narrower than Contributor and does not expose unrelated capabilities such as deleting the VM or changing attached resources. Using this action supports least privilege for operational support tasks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/restart/action permits a controlled restart operation on the target VM.
Why this is correct
This action authorizes the restart operation specifically, which is separate from generic write or delete permissions. It allows the support engineer to perform the required maintenance task while keeping the role tightly scoped and avoiding access to networking or access-control operations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete gives the ability to remove the VM from the subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Delete is far too permissive for a support-only role. It would allow destruction of the virtual machine, which is explicitly not required and would create unnecessary risk. This option is the opposite of least privilege for routine operations.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a custom role is needed for an engineer to decommission and remove a specific VM from the subscription, Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete would be a required action.
- ✗
Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write is needed because a VM start or restart always requires NIC modification rights.
Why it's wrong here
Starting or restarting a VM does not require permission to change the network interface. Granting NIC write access would broaden the role into network administration, which the requirement explicitly excludes. That would be excessive and unrelated to the task.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a custom role must allow an engineer to modify network interface settings (e.g., change IP configuration or attach/detach NICs) for a VM, Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write would be required alongside compute actions.
- ✗
Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would let the engineer grant access to other users and manage permissions.
Why it's wrong here
Role assignment write permissions are administrative access-control rights, not VM operations. Including them would let the engineer modify authorization for many resources, which is not needed and would violate the requirement to avoid granting access-management capabilities.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a custom role is needed for a user to assign roles to others (e.g., a 'User Access Administrator' role), Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would be required.
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.
✓Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action grants the ability to start the VM without broader management permissions.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This action is the precise permission needed to power on a virtual machine. It is narrower than Contributor and does not expose unrelated capabilities such as deleting the VM or changing attached resources. Using this action supports least privilege for operational support tasks.
✗Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete gives the ability to remove the VM from the subscription.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question restricts the support engineer from deleting the VM, so including the delete permission would violate the requirement.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a custom role is needed for an engineer to decommission and remove a specific VM from the subscription, Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/delete would be a required action.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that start/restart actions implicitly require delete permission, or they overlook the explicit restriction against deletion in the question.
✗Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write is needed because a VM start or restart always requires NIC modification rights.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Starting or restarting a VM does not require modifying network interfaces; the start/restart actions are separate permissions. The question explicitly restricts changing networking, so including this permission would violate the requirement.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a custom role must allow an engineer to modify network interface settings (e.g., change IP configuration or attach/detach NICs) for a VM, Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces/write would be required alongside compute actions.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may incorrectly assume that VM start/restart operations involve network interface changes, or they confuse the need for network permissions with compute permissions due to overlapping dependencies in some Azure operations.
✗Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would let the engineer grant access to other users and manage permissions.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question restricts the engineer from granting access to others, so including Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would violate that constraint by allowing permission management.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a custom role is needed for a user to assign roles to others (e.g., a 'User Access Administrator' role), Microsoft.Authorization/roleAssignments/write would be required.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that starting/restarting a VM requires permission to modify role assignments, but these operations are independent; the temptation comes from confusing VM management actions with Azure RBAC management actions.
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 think network interface write permissions are required for VM operations, but start and restart only need compute-level actions, not network modifications.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Azure Resource Manager (ARM) evaluates RBAC actions at the resource provider level; for VM start and restart, only the compute provider's actions are invoked, and no network or authorization changes occur. In a real-world scenario, a custom role with only start and restart actions ensures the support engineer can perform troubleshooting without risking accidental deletion or security breaches, which is critical for production environments.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
What to study next
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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: Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action grants the ability to start the VM without broader management permissions. — Option A is correct because Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/start/action is a specific permission that allows starting a VM without granting broader management capabilities like deletion or network changes. This action is part of the Azure RBAC role definition and can be included in a custom role to limit the support engineer's scope to only starting the VM.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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