- A
Store the application data on a separate managed data disk
Keeps data independent from the OS disk and VM rebuild process.
- B
Create a snapshot of the data disk before the change
Provides a quick restore point for the disk state.
- C
Use an ephemeral OS disk for the application files
Why wrong: Ephemeral disks are temporary and are not meant for important data.
- D
Keep the files only on the OS disk and rely on reimaging
Why wrong: Putting data on the OS disk makes recovery and rebuilds riskier.
- E
Delete and recreate the VM from the same image
Why wrong: Recreating the VM does not preserve the current data disk state.
Question 197 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. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 developer wants to keep application data separate from the operating system so the VM can be rebuilt without losing files. Before making a risky change, the administrator also wants a fast rollback point for that data disk. Which two actions should the administrator take? 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
✓
Store the application data on a separate managed data disk
Option A is correct because storing application data on a separate managed data disk decouples the data from the OS disk. This allows the VM to be rebuilt or reimaged without affecting the application files, as the data disk persists independently. Option B is correct because a snapshot of the data disk provides a point-in-time, crash-consistent backup that can be used to quickly restore the data disk to its pre-change state, enabling fast rollback without needing to rebuild the entire 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.
- ✓
Store the application data on a separate managed data disk
Why this is correct
Keeps data independent from the OS disk and VM rebuild process.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Create a snapshot of the data disk before the change
Why this is correct
Provides a quick restore point for the disk state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use an ephemeral OS disk for the application files
Why it's wrong here
Ephemeral disks are temporary and are not meant for important data.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question asks for maximizing OS disk read/write performance for temporary workloads (e.g., cache or batch processing) and persistence is not required, an ephemeral OS disk is correct.
- ✗
Keep the files only on the OS disk and rely on reimaging
Why it's wrong here
Putting data on the OS disk makes recovery and rebuilds riskier.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where the question asks for the simplest way to reset a VM to its original state without preserving any application data, and the application data is stored externally (e.g., in Azure Files or a database).
- ✗
Delete and recreate the VM from the same image
Why it's wrong here
Recreating the VM does not preserve the current data disk state.
When this WOULD be correct
This would be correct if the question asked for a way to reset the OS to a known good state without needing to preserve any data, such as when the OS is corrupted and you want to quickly redeploy the same configuration without data persistence.
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.
✓Store the application data on a separate managed data diskCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Keeps data independent from the OS disk and VM rebuild process.
✗Use an ephemeral OS disk for the application filesWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Ephemeral OS disks are temporary and local to the host VM; data is lost on VM deallocation or redeployment, so they cannot provide persistent application data storage or a rollback point.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question asks for maximizing OS disk read/write performance for temporary workloads (e.g., cache or batch processing) and persistence is not required, an ephemeral OS disk is correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'ephemeral' with 'separate' or think it offers fast rebuild capability, not realizing ephemeral disks lack persistence and cannot be snapshotted for rollback.
✗Keep the files only on the OS disk and rely on reimagingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Keeping files only on the OS disk and relying on reimaging does not provide a separate data disk for application data, so rebuilding the VM would lose those files. Reimaging restores the OS disk to its original state, deleting any user data.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where the question asks for the simplest way to reset a VM to its original state without preserving any application data, and the application data is stored externally (e.g., in Azure Files or a database).
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think reimaging is a quick rollback method, but they overlook that it only resets the OS disk and does not preserve or separate application data.
✗Delete and recreate the VM from the same imageWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Deleting and recreating the VM from the same image would lose all application data on the data disk because the data disk is not preserved; the new VM would start with a fresh OS disk and no attached data disk.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This would be correct if the question asked for a way to reset the OS to a known good state without needing to preserve any data, such as when the OS is corrupted and you want to quickly redeploy the same configuration without data persistence.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that recreating the VM from the same image is a fast rollback method, but they overlook that it does not preserve the data disk, which is required for keeping application data separate and recoverable.
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 ephemeral OS disks with persistent data disks, mistakenly thinking ephemeral disks can retain data across VM rebuilds, or they overlook that a snapshot is the only fast rollback mechanism for a data disk, unlike VM reimaging or deletion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Managed data disks in Azure are backed by page blobs in Azure Storage and can be independently attached to VMs, allowing data persistence across VM lifecycle events. Snapshots are incremental and capture only the changes since the last snapshot, enabling efficient storage and fast restoration; they can be used to create a new managed disk or revert an existing one. In practice, combining separate data disks with scheduled snapshots is a common pattern for achieving both data isolation and point-in-time recovery without relying on VM-level backups.
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.
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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: Store the application data on a separate managed data disk — Option A is correct because storing application data on a separate managed data disk decouples the data from the OS disk. This allows the VM to be rebuilt or reimaged without affecting the application files, as the data disk persists independently. Option B is correct because a snapshot of the data disk provides a point-in-time, crash-consistent backup that can be used to quickly restore the data disk to its pre-change state, enabling fast rollback without needing to rebuild the entire 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
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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