- A
Create an activity log alert and point it at the existing action group.
Why wrong: Activity log alerts detect subscription events, but they do not store resource-level audit data for long-term searching.
- B
Create a diagnostic setting that streams AuditEvent logs to Log Analytics and a storage account.
A diagnostic setting on the Key Vault can export resource logs to Log Analytics for querying and also to a storage account for durable retention. That meets both investigation and long-term preservation requirements. The action group can still be used separately for notifications, but it does not replace the log collection path. This is the only option that addresses both searchable telemetry and an independent retained copy.
- C
Create a metric alert on the Key Vault and archive the alert history.
Why wrong: Metric alerts are useful for threshold-based monitoring, but they do not capture detailed audit events or provide retained raw log copies.
- D
Enable only resource metrics and rely on workspace retention for compliance.
Why wrong: Metrics do not contain the audit details required for key vault investigations, and workspace retention alone provides no second copy.
AZ-104 Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of monitor and maintain azure resources. 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. A key principle to apply: azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.. 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 organization must retain Azure Key Vault audit data for 18 months, search the data in Log Analytics, and keep a second copy if the workspace retention policy is later shortened. The operations team already has an action group for notifications. What should be configured on the Key Vault?
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 a diagnostic setting that streams AuditEvent logs to Log Analytics and a storage account.
Option B is correct because Azure Key Vault audit data is captured via the AuditEvent category in diagnostic settings. By configuring a diagnostic setting to stream AuditEvent logs to both a Log Analytics workspace (for querying and long-term retention up to 18 months) and a storage account (for a second copy independent of workspace retention policy changes), the organization meets all requirements. The existing action group is not needed for this data retention and search scenario.
Key principle: Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create an activity log alert and point it at the existing action group.
Why it's wrong here
Activity log alerts detect subscription events, but they do not store resource-level audit data for long-term searching.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required alerting on a Key Vault administrative operation (e.g., vault deletion) and sending notifications to an action group, an activity log alert would be correct.
- ✓
Create a diagnostic setting that streams AuditEvent logs to Log Analytics and a storage account.
Why this is correct
A diagnostic setting on the Key Vault can export resource logs to Log Analytics for querying and also to a storage account for durable retention. That meets both investigation and long-term preservation requirements. The action group can still be used separately for notifications, but it does not replace the log collection path. This is the only option that addresses both searchable telemetry and an independent retained copy.
Related concept
Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.
- ✗
Create a metric alert on the Key Vault and archive the alert history.
Why it's wrong here
Metric alerts are useful for threshold-based monitoring, but they do not capture detailed audit events or provide retained raw log copies.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question required monitoring Key Vault performance metrics (e.g., request latency, throttling) and retaining alert history for compliance, a metric alert with archive would be correct. For example: 'An organization needs to be notified when Key Vault request latency exceeds 500ms and retain alert history for 12 months.'
- ✗
Enable only resource metrics and rely on workspace retention for compliance.
Why it's wrong here
Metrics do not contain the audit details required for key vault investigations, and workspace retention alone provides no second copy.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question required monitoring Key Vault performance (e.g., request latency or capacity) and compliance was based solely on workspace retention, with no need for long-term audit log archiving or independent backup.
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.
✓Create a diagnostic setting that streams AuditEvent logs to Log Analytics and a storage account.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A diagnostic setting on the Key Vault can export resource logs to Log Analytics for querying and also to a storage account for durable retention. That meets both investigation and long-term preservation requirements. The action group can still be used separately for notifications, but it does not replace the log collection path. This is the only option that addresses both searchable telemetry and an independent retained copy.
✗Create an activity log alert and point it at the existing action group.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Activity log alerts only notify on Azure resource-level operations (e.g., create/delete vault), not on Key Vault audit events like secret access. They cannot stream data to Log Analytics or a storage account for long-term retention.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required alerting on a Key Vault administrative operation (e.g., vault deletion) and sending notifications to an action group, an activity log alert would be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse activity log alerts with diagnostic settings, thinking alerts can also capture and store audit data, or they may overlook the specific requirement to retain and search audit logs.
✗Create a metric alert on the Key Vault and archive the alert history.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Metric alerts and alert history archiving do not capture Key Vault audit logs (e.g., access attempts, secret operations) required for 18-month retention and searchable Log Analytics storage. Audit logs require diagnostic settings, not metric alerts.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question required monitoring Key Vault performance metrics (e.g., request latency, throttling) and retaining alert history for compliance, a metric alert with archive would be correct. For example: 'An organization needs to be notified when Key Vault request latency exceeds 500ms and retain alert history for 12 months.'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse metric alerts with activity log alerts or assume alert history provides sufficient audit trail, overlooking that audit events require diagnostic settings for log collection.
✗Enable only resource metrics and rely on workspace retention for compliance.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Enabling only resource metrics and relying on workspace retention does not meet the requirement to retain audit data for 18 months and keep a second copy if retention is shortened. Metrics do not capture AuditEvent logs, and workspace retention alone cannot guarantee a separate copy.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question required monitoring Key Vault performance (e.g., request latency or capacity) and compliance was based solely on workspace retention, with no need for long-term audit log archiving or independent backup.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think that resource metrics cover all monitoring needs and that workspace retention is sufficient for compliance, overlooking the specific requirement for audit logs and a secondary copy.
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 confuse activity log alerts or metric alerts with diagnostic settings, not realizing that audit data retention and search require streaming the AuditEvent category to Log Analytics and a storage account, not just monitoring or metrics.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Diagnostic settings in Azure allow streaming of platform logs (like AuditEvent) to multiple destinations simultaneously—Log Analytics for KQL-based searching and Azure Storage for durable, immutable archival. The AuditEvent category captures all data plane operations (e.g., key get, secret set) and management plane operations, which are essential for compliance. When workspace retention is reduced, the storage account copy remains unaffected, ensuring a separate, policy-independent backup.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.
- Key Vault AuditEvent logs detail operations performed on keys, secrets, and certificates.
- Diagnostic settings can stream logs to Log Analytics for search and a storage account for archival.
- Streaming to a storage account provides an independent, durable copy of logs.
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
Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.
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.
Review azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics., then practise related AZ-104 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All AZ-104 questions
1,170 questions across all exam domains
- →
AZ-104 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
AZ-104 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related AZ-104 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage Azure Identities and Governance practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Manage Azure Identities and Governance.
Implement and Manage Storage practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Storage.
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Deploy and Manage Azure Compute.
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Implement and Manage Virtual Networking.
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources.
AZ-104 Azure RBAC practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure RBAC.
AZ-104 storage account practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 storage account.
AZ-104 virtual network practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 virtual network.
AZ-104 NSG practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 NSG.
AZ-104 Azure Monitor practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 Azure Monitor.
AZ-104 backup practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 backup.
AZ-104 managed identity practice questions
Practise AZ-104 questions linked to AZ-104 managed identity.
Practice this exam
Start a free AZ-104 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — This question tests Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources — Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a diagnostic setting that streams AuditEvent logs to Log Analytics and a storage account. — Option B is correct because Azure Key Vault audit data is captured via the AuditEvent category in diagnostic settings. By configuring a diagnostic setting to stream AuditEvent logs to both a Log Analytics workspace (for querying and long-term retention up to 18 months) and a storage account (for a second copy independent of workspace retention policy changes), the organization meets all requirements. The existing action group is not needed for this data retention and search scenario.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Review azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics., then practise related AZ-104 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Azure diagnostic settings export resource logs and metrics.
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 →
Keep practising
More AZ-104 practice questions
- A storage automation service principal must upload, read, and delete blob data in one container by using Microsoft Entra…
- A subnet contains several application servers. You need to allow inbound TCP 3389 only from a management subnet named Su…
- A subscription admin wants to investigate who changed a resource and also review the platform-generated events for that…
- Based on the exhibit, which Azure feature should the administrator use to track this kind of platform-wide service issue…
- An administrator wants a script running on an Azure VM to create a resource in Azure without storing any passwords or cl…
- A PowerShell script runs on an Azure VM every night and uses Azure CLI commands to create tags and VM resources in anoth…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.