- A
LRS, because it keeps copies in a single datacenter and is the lowest-cost option.
Why wrong: LRS keeps data within one datacenter set, so it does not meet zone or regional resilience needs.
- B
ZRS, because it protects against zone failures but not regional outages.
Why wrong: ZRS handles zone failure, but it does not replicate the data to another region for disaster recovery.
- C
GZRS, because it adds zone redundancy and geo-replication without enabling secondary read access.
GZRS matches the requirement precisely. It protects the data from a zone failure by distributing copies across availability zones in the primary region. It also replicates the data to a paired secondary region for disaster recovery. Because the team does not want secondary read access during normal operations, the non-read-access version is the correct and typically lower-cost choice compared with RA-GZRS.
- D
RA-GRS, because the read-access copy is needed whenever data is replicated to another region.
Why wrong: RA-GRS provides geo-replication and secondary read access, but it does not provide zone redundancy in the primary region.
Quick Answer
The answer is GZRS, or Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage. This option is correct because it combines zone-level redundancy—three synchronous copies across Azure availability zones within the primary region—with asynchronous geo-replication to a paired secondary region, yet it does not enable read access to that secondary copy by default. This directly meets the requirement to survive a zone failure, provide disaster recovery to a paired region, and block any reads from the secondary during normal operations, all at a lower cost than RA-GRS which includes that read-access feature. On the AZ-104 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the trade-off between redundancy tiers and access permissions; a common trap is choosing RA-GRS because it also offers geo-replication, but the key constraint here is “no reads from secondary.” Remember the mnemonic: “GZRS = Geo + Zone, no reads; RA-GRS = Read Access adds cost.”
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Storage Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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 media archive stores large video files that must survive a zone failure in the primary region and also be replicated to a paired region for disaster recovery. The archive team does not want anyone to read from the secondary region during normal operations, and cost should be lower than the read-access variant. Which redundancy option should you configure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
GZRS, because it adds zone redundancy and geo-replication without enabling secondary read access.
GZRS (Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is correct because it combines zone redundancy (three copies across availability zones in the primary region) with geo-replication to a paired secondary region, but crucially does not enable read access to the secondary region by default. This satisfies the requirement to survive a zone failure, provide disaster recovery to a paired region, and prevent reads from the secondary during normal operations, all at a lower cost than RA-GRS which includes secondary read access.
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.
- ✗
LRS, because it keeps copies in a single datacenter and is the lowest-cost option.
Why it's wrong here
LRS keeps data within one datacenter set, so it does not meet zone or regional resilience needs.
- ✗
ZRS, because it protects against zone failures but not regional outages.
Why it's wrong here
ZRS handles zone failure, but it does not replicate the data to another region for disaster recovery.
- ✓
GZRS, because it adds zone redundancy and geo-replication without enabling secondary read access.
Why this is correct
GZRS matches the requirement precisely. It protects the data from a zone failure by distributing copies across availability zones in the primary region. It also replicates the data to a paired secondary region for disaster recovery. Because the team does not want secondary read access during normal operations, the non-read-access version is the correct and typically lower-cost choice compared with RA-GZRS.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
RA-GRS, because the read-access copy is needed whenever data is replicated to another region.
Why it's wrong here
RA-GRS provides geo-replication and secondary read access, but it does not provide zone redundancy in the primary region.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse GZRS with RA-GRS, assuming geo-replication always includes read access to the secondary region, but GZRS explicitly omits that read-access feature to lower cost while still providing zone and geo redundancy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, GZRS writes data synchronously to three availability zones in the primary region, then asynchronously replicates to a single zone in the paired secondary region using Azure's geo-replication mechanism. The secondary region copy is kept in a single zone (not zone-redundant) to reduce cost, and read access is disabled by default, meaning the secondary endpoint (e.g., .secondary.blob.core.windows.net) is not accessible for reads unless you explicitly enable RA-GZRS. In a real-world scenario, a media archive team might use GZRS to ensure high durability for large video files while avoiding accidental or unauthorized reads from the secondary region during normal operations, and only fail over to the secondary region during a declared disaster.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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: GZRS, because it adds zone redundancy and geo-replication without enabling secondary read access. — GZRS (Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is correct because it combines zone redundancy (three copies across availability zones in the primary region) with geo-replication to a paired secondary region, but crucially does not enable read access to the secondary region by default. This satisfies the requirement to survive a zone failure, provide disaster recovery to a paired region, and prevent reads from the secondary during normal operations, all at a lower cost than RA-GRS which includes secondary read access.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.
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