- A
Embed the storage account key in the application settings
Why wrong: This works technically, but it exposes a long-lived secret and is not the secure approach requested.
- B
Assign a managed identity to the app and grant it storage permissions
A managed identity lets the app authenticate to Azure Storage without storing credentials. Azure handles the identity lifecycle, and access is controlled with role assignments.
- C
Use the public endpoint and anonymous access
Why wrong: Anonymous access weakens security and is not suitable for uploading protected application files.
- D
Use an archive tier for the container
Why wrong: The access tier affects storage cost and retrieval behavior, not how the app authenticates to the account.
Question 23 of 1,170
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 web app in Azure needs to upload files to a blob container. The development team wants the app to authenticate without storing a storage account key or password in code. Which approach should the administrator configure?
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
✓
Assign a managed identity to the app and grant it storage permissions
Option B is correct because Azure Managed Identity provides an automatically managed service principal in Azure AD, allowing the web app to authenticate to Azure Blob Storage without storing any credentials in code or configuration. By assigning the managed identity to the app and granting it the appropriate RBAC role (e.g., Storage Blob Data Contributor), the app can obtain an Azure AD token to securely access the blob container.
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.
- ✗
Embed the storage account key in the application settings
Why it's wrong here
This works technically, but it exposes a long-lived secret and is not the secure approach requested.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question specified that the app must use a shared access signature (SAS) token and the storage account key is needed to generate the SAS token server-side, embedding the key in application settings could be acceptable in a tightly controlled environment.
- ✓
Assign a managed identity to the app and grant it storage permissions
Why this is correct
A managed identity lets the app authenticate to Azure Storage without storing credentials. Azure handles the identity lifecycle, and access is controlled with role assignments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the public endpoint and anonymous access
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous access weakens security and is not suitable for uploading protected application files.
When this WOULD be correct
When the requirement is to allow public read access to blob data without authentication, such as for hosting static websites or sharing publicly accessible files, and the app does not need to authenticate.
- ✗
Use an archive tier for the container
Why it's wrong here
The access tier affects storage cost and retrieval behavior, not how the app authenticates to the account.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks how to minimize storage costs for rarely accessed blob data that can tolerate hours of retrieval latency, such as compliance archives or backup data.
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.
✓Assign a managed identity to the app and grant it storage permissionsCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
A managed identity lets the app authenticate to Azure Storage without storing credentials. Azure handles the identity lifecycle, and access is controlled with role assignments.
✗Embed the storage account key in the application settingsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Embedding the storage account key in application settings violates the requirement to avoid storing keys in code, as the key would still be stored in a configurable setting that could be exposed.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question specified that the app must use a shared access signature (SAS) token and the storage account key is needed to generate the SAS token server-side, embedding the key in application settings could be acceptable in a tightly controlled environment.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that storing the key in application settings is secure because it's not in the source code, but they overlook that it still requires managing a secret and does not eliminate credential storage.
✗Use the public endpoint and anonymous accessWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Using the public endpoint with anonymous access would allow anyone to upload files without authentication, violating the requirement to avoid storing credentials but failing to provide secure, authenticated access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the requirement is to allow public read access to blob data without authentication, such as for hosting static websites or sharing publicly accessible files, and the app does not need to authenticate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that anonymous access eliminates the need for credentials, overlooking the security and authentication requirements of the scenario.
✗Use an archive tier for the containerWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The archive tier is for cost-effective storage of infrequently accessed data with retrieval delays, not for authentication. It does not address the requirement to avoid storing credentials in code.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks how to minimize storage costs for rarely accessed blob data that can tolerate hours of retrieval latency, such as compliance archives or backup data.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse storage tiers with security features, thinking an archive tier somehow eliminates the need for authentication, or they may misapply cost-saving measures to a security requirement.
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 may confuse managed identity with other authentication methods like SAS tokens or connection strings, or incorrectly assume that embedding keys in app settings is acceptable because it's 'not in code,' but Azure explicitly considers this a security risk for production workloads.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Azure Managed Identity uses the Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) endpoint (169.254.169.254) to acquire an access token for the Azure Resource Manager, which can then be used to authenticate to Azure Storage via OAuth 2.0. The web app's code uses the Azure Identity SDK (e.g., DefaultAzureCredential) to automatically request a token, eliminating the need for connection strings or shared keys. In a real-world scenario, this approach also simplifies key rotation and reduces the risk of credential leakage in CI/CD pipelines.
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 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.
Quick reference
Azure Blob Storage Tier Comparison
| Tier | Storage Cost | Retrieval Cost | Latency | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Highest | Lowest | Immediate | Active data, frequent reads |
| Cool | Lower | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / month |
| Cold | Lower still | Higher | Immediate | Data accessed < once / quarter |
| Archive | Lowest | Highest + rehydration delay | Hours | Long-term compliance retention |
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: Assign a managed identity to the app and grant it storage permissions — Option B is correct because Azure Managed Identity provides an automatically managed service principal in Azure AD, allowing the web app to authenticate to Azure Blob Storage without storing any credentials in code or configuration. By assigning the managed identity to the app and granting it the appropriate RBAC role (e.g., Storage Blob Data Contributor), the app can obtain an Azure AD token to securely access the blob container.
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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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