- A
A snapshot of the generalized OS disk.
Why wrong: A snapshot captures one disk state, but it is not a versioned image distribution platform.
- B
An Azure Compute Gallery image version.
Compute Gallery supports versioned images, replication across regions, and repeatable VM deployment from one source.
- C
A VM extension on an existing VM.
Why wrong: Extensions add configuration to a VM, but they do not serve as a reusable image source.
- D
An availability set for the image resources.
Why wrong: Availability sets protect VMs from host issues and are unrelated to image publishing or replication.
Question 672 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. 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.
An operations team maintains a hardened Windows base image that includes patch baseline settings and monitoring agents. They need to publish new versions, replicate the image to another region, and deploy future VMs from the same controlled image source. What should they use?
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
✓
An Azure Compute Gallery image version.
An Azure Compute Gallery (formerly Shared Image Gallery) is the correct service for managing, versioning, replicating, and deploying custom Windows images across regions. It supports multiple image versions, regional replication, and allows you to deploy VMs from a controlled, hardened base image. Snapshots alone lack versioning and cross-region replication capabilities.
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.
- ✗
A snapshot of the generalized OS disk.
Why it's wrong here
A snapshot captures one disk state, but it is not a versioned image distribution platform.
When this WOULD be correct
A snapshot would be correct if the question asked for a one-time backup of a generalized VM disk to be used for creating a single VM in the same region, without need for versioning, replication, or sharing across teams.
- ✓
An Azure Compute Gallery image version.
Why this is correct
Compute Gallery supports versioned images, replication across regions, and repeatable VM deployment from one source.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A VM extension on an existing VM.
Why it's wrong here
Extensions add configuration to a VM, but they do not serve as a reusable image source.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question asks how to install monitoring agents or apply patch configurations to existing VMs without modifying the base image, a VM extension would be the correct answer.
- ✗
An availability set for the image resources.
Why it's wrong here
Availability sets protect VMs from host issues and are unrelated to image publishing or replication.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question asks for a way to ensure high availability of a multi-VM application by distributing VMs across isolated hardware within a single region, an availability set would be the correct answer.
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.
✓An Azure Compute Gallery image version.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Compute Gallery supports versioned images, replication across regions, and repeatable VM deployment from one source.
✗A snapshot of the generalized OS disk.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A snapshot of the generalized OS disk does not support replication to another region or centralized version management for publishing new image versions. Azure Compute Gallery is required for multi-region replication and controlled image versioning.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A snapshot would be correct if the question asked for a one-time backup of a generalized VM disk to be used for creating a single VM in the same region, without need for versioning, replication, or sharing across teams.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a snapshot is sufficient because it captures the disk state, but they overlook the need for replication and version management, which are not features of snapshots.
✗A VM extension on an existing VM.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A VM extension is used to configure software or agents on an existing VM, not to publish, replicate, or deploy new VM images from a controlled source.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question asks how to install monitoring agents or apply patch configurations to existing VMs without modifying the base image, a VM extension would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse VM extensions with the ability to manage image configurations, thinking extensions can be used to enforce settings on new VMs from a base image.
✗An availability set for the image resources.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An availability set is used to distribute VMs across fault and update domains for high availability, not for managing, versioning, or replicating custom images across regions.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question asks for a way to ensure high availability of a multi-VM application by distributing VMs across isolated hardware within a single region, an availability set would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse availability sets with replication or distribution capabilities, thinking that 'availability' implies making the image available in multiple regions.
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 a simple snapshot or managed disk copy with the versioning, replication, and lifecycle management capabilities that only an Azure Compute Gallery provides.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Compute Gallery stores image definitions and versions, supporting both specialized and generalized images. When you replicate an image version to another region, Azure automatically copies the underlying managed image snapshots to the target region's storage, enabling fast, consistent VM creation. The gallery also integrates with Azure Policy and RBAC to enforce compliance across image versions.
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: An Azure Compute Gallery image version. — An Azure Compute Gallery (formerly Shared Image Gallery) is the correct service for managing, versioning, replicating, and deploying custom Windows images across regions. It supports multiple image versions, regional replication, and allows you to deploy VMs from a controlled, hardened base image. Snapshots alone lack versioning and cross-region replication capabilities.
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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