- A
Assign a standard Load Balancer to the GatewaySubnet.
Why wrong: A load balancer is not a replacement for the public IP resource required by the VPN gateway.
- B
Create a private endpoint for the virtual network gateway.
Why wrong: Private endpoints are used for supported PaaS services, not for exposing VPN gateway termination to on-premises peers.
- C
Create and associate a public IP address with the VPN gateway.
A site-to-site VPN gateway needs a public IP address so the on-premises VPN device can establish and maintain the tunnel to Azure. The GatewaySubnet is the correct dedicated subnet, but it is not enough by itself. The gateway also requires a public-facing address resource assigned during deployment so it can receive VPN connections from outside Azure.
- D
Delegate the GatewaySubnet to Microsoft.Network/privateEndpoints.
Why wrong: Subnet delegation for private endpoints is unrelated to VPN gateway deployment and does not provide tunnel termination.
Quick Answer
The answer is to create and associate a public IP address with the VPN gateway. A site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure requires this public-facing address because it acts as the endpoint for the encrypted IPsec/IKE tunnel, allowing the gateway to send and receive traffic over the internet with the on-premises VPN device. Without a public IP assigned to the gateway’s frontend configuration, the deployment fails because Azure cannot provision a routable endpoint for the tunnel. On the AZ-104 exam, this concept tests your understanding of networking prerequisites—a common trap is assuming the GatewaySubnet alone is sufficient, but the subnet only hosts the gateway; the public IP is the actual communication endpoint. Remember the memory tip: “No public IP, no tunnel—the gateway needs a front door to talk to the outside world.”
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 administrator is deploying a site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure. The GatewaySubnet already exists, but the deployment fails because no public-facing address is available for the gateway. What is required for the gateway to deploy and accept the on-premises connection?
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
Create and associate a public IP address with the VPN gateway.
A site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure requires a public IP address to establish the encrypted tunnel with the on-premises VPN device. The public IP address is assigned to the gateway's frontend configuration, enabling it to send and receive IPsec/IKE traffic over the internet. Without this public-facing address, the gateway cannot be provisioned or accept the on-premises connection.
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.
- ✗
Assign a standard Load Balancer to the GatewaySubnet.
Why it's wrong here
A load balancer is not a replacement for the public IP resource required by the VPN gateway.
- ✗
Create a private endpoint for the virtual network gateway.
- ✓
Create and associate a public IP address with the VPN gateway.
Why this is correct
A site-to-site VPN gateway needs a public IP address so the on-premises VPN device can establish and maintain the tunnel to Azure. The GatewaySubnet is the correct dedicated subnet, but it is not enough by itself. The gateway also requires a public-facing address resource assigned during deployment so it can receive VPN connections from outside Azure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Delegate the GatewaySubnet to Microsoft.Network/privateEndpoints.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the GatewaySubnet delegation requirement (which is already satisfied by default) with the need for a public IP address, or incorrectly think a Load Balancer or private endpoint can substitute for the public IP that is mandatory for site-to-site VPN connectivity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The VPN gateway uses the public IP address as the source IP for the IPsec tunnel, and the on-premises VPN device must be configured to initiate or respond to this IP. Under the hood, the VPN gateway creates a frontend IP configuration that binds the public IP to the gateway's network interface, enabling BGP (if used) and IKEv2/IPsec negotiation. In a real-world scenario, if you deploy a VPN gateway without first creating a public IP resource, the deployment will fail with an error indicating that a public IP address is required for the gateway's frontend.
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.
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 Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create and associate a public IP address with the VPN gateway. — A site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure requires a public IP address to establish the encrypted tunnel with the on-premises VPN device. The public IP address is assigned to the gateway's frontend configuration, enabling it to send and receive IPsec/IKE traffic over the internet. Without this public-facing address, the gateway cannot be provisioned or accept the on-premises connection.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
4 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An administrator is deploying an Azure VPN gateway for a site-to-site connection. The deployment fails because required network resources are missing. Which configuration is required before the gateway can be created?
medium- ✓ A.A subnet named GatewaySubnet and a public IP address for the VPN gateway.
- B.A subnet named AzureBastionSubnet and a static private IP address.
- C.A network security group attached directly to the virtual network gateway.
- D.A load balancer with a public frontend to terminate the VPN connection.
Why A: A VPN gateway in Azure requires a dedicated subnet named 'GatewaySubnet' to host the gateway instances, and a public IP address resource must be allocated to the gateway to establish the site-to-site VPN tunnel over the internet. Without these two prerequisites, the deployment will fail because the gateway cannot be provisioned or addressed externally.
Variation 2. An administrator is deploying a site-to-site VPN gateway in the Azure portal. The deployment fails validation because the gateway does not have a public-facing address to terminate the tunnel. What must be created and associated with the VPN gateway?
medium- A.A load balancer frontend IP configuration in front of the gateway subnet.
- ✓ B.A public IP address resource associated with the VPN gateway.
- C.A NAT gateway attached to GatewaySubnet.
- D.A private endpoint for the virtual network gateway resource.
Why B: A site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure requires a public IP address to terminate the IPSec tunnel from the on-premises device. The public IP address resource must be created and associated with the VPN gateway during deployment; without it, the gateway has no routable endpoint for the tunnel, causing validation to fail.
Variation 3. An administrator is deploying a site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure. Which resource must be attached to the gateway so it can receive encrypted connections from the on-premises VPN device?
easy- ✓ A.A public IP address resource.
- B.A private endpoint.
- C.A service endpoint.
- D.A network security group.
Why A: A site-to-site VPN gateway in Azure requires a public IP address resource to be attached so that the on-premises VPN device can establish an encrypted IPsec/IKE tunnel to it. The public IP address provides the routable endpoint on the internet that the on-premises device connects to, and it is assigned to the gateway's front-end configuration. Without this public IP, the gateway cannot receive inbound encrypted traffic from the external network.
Variation 4. An administrator is preparing an Azure site-to-site VPN gateway deployment for an existing VNet. Which two prerequisites must be in place for the gateway to deploy successfully? Select two.
medium- ✓ A.A dedicated GatewaySubnet must exist in the VNet.
- ✓ B.The gateway must have a public IP address resource assigned to it.
- C.The VNet must already contain a private endpoint for on-premises connectivity.
- D.A network security group must be attached to the GatewaySubnet.
- E.The VNet must use a service endpoint for Microsoft.Network.
Why A: Option A is correct because a dedicated GatewaySubnet is a mandatory requirement for deploying any Azure VPN gateway. This subnet must be named 'GatewaySubnet' and must have a minimum address prefix of /29 (though /27 is recommended) to accommodate the gateway VMs and future scaling. Without this subnet, the gateway creation will fail as Azure uses it to host the gateway VMs and route traffic.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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