- A
ZRS, because it protects against zone failure and also provides a readable secondary region.
Why wrong: ZRS provides zone-level resilience, but it does not create a geo-replicated secondary region or secondary read access.
- B
GRS, because it stores a secondary copy in another region but does not offer zone redundancy in the primary region.
Why wrong: GRS offers geo-replication, but the primary requirement also includes zone resilience. GRS alone does not satisfy both parts of the scenario.
- C
RA-GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy, geo-replication, and read access to the secondary region.
RA-GZRS provides the strongest fit for this scenario. It combines synchronous zone redundancy in the primary region with asynchronous geo-replication to a secondary region, and it allows read access to that secondary copy. That combination meets both the availability and reporting requirements described in the question.
- D
LRS, because local replication is enough when the workload already has application-level retries.
Why wrong: LRS does not provide zone resilience or geo-replication. Application retries can improve transient failure handling, but they do not replace the required storage resiliency features.
RA-GZRS — Zone-Resilient Storage with Readable Geo-Replication
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage storage. 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.
A reporting system requires a storage account that is zone resilient in the primary region and also keeps a geo-replicated secondary copy that can be read during an outage. Which redundancy option should you select?
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
RA-GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy, geo-replication, and read access to the secondary region.
RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is the correct choice because it provides synchronous replication across three Azure availability zones in the primary region for zone resilience, asynchronous geo-replication to a secondary region for disaster recovery, and enables read access to the secondary copy during an outage. This meets all three requirements: zone resiliency, geo-replication, and readable secondary region.
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.
- ✗
ZRS, because it protects against zone failure and also provides a readable secondary region.
Why it's wrong here
ZRS provides zone-level resilience, but it does not create a geo-replicated secondary region or secondary read access.
When this WOULD be correct
Select ZRS when the requirement is only for zone-level resilience within a single region, with no need for geo-replication or read access from a secondary region.
- ✗
GRS, because it stores a secondary copy in another region but does not offer zone redundancy in the primary region.
Why it's wrong here
GRS offers geo-replication, but the primary requirement also includes zone resilience. GRS alone does not satisfy both parts of the scenario.
When this WOULD be correct
A scenario where the requirement is geo-replication for disaster recovery without needing zone redundancy in the primary region, and read access to the secondary region is not required. For example, a backup storage account that only needs to be restored in another region during a regional outage.
- ✓
RA-GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy, geo-replication, and read access to the secondary region.
Why this is correct
RA-GZRS provides the strongest fit for this scenario. It combines synchronous zone redundancy in the primary region with asynchronous geo-replication to a secondary region, and it allows read access to that secondary copy. That combination meets both the availability and reporting requirements described in the question.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
LRS, because local replication is enough when the workload already has application-level retries.
Why it's wrong here
LRS does not provide zone resilience or geo-replication. Application retries can improve transient failure handling, but they do not replace the required storage resiliency features.
When this WOULD be correct
LRS would be correct for a question specifying that the storage account is used for non-critical, transient data that can be easily regenerated, and where cost minimization is the primary goal, with no need for high availability or disaster recovery.
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.
✓RA-GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy, geo-replication, and read access to the secondary region.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
RA-GZRS provides the strongest fit for this scenario. It combines synchronous zone redundancy in the primary region with asynchronous geo-replication to a secondary region, and it allows read access to that secondary copy. That combination meets both the availability and reporting requirements described in the question.
✗ZRS, because it protects against zone failure and also provides a readable secondary region.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
ZRS provides zone redundancy but does not include geo-replication; it does not maintain a secondary copy in another region, let alone one that is readable during an outage.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
Select ZRS when the requirement is only for zone-level resilience within a single region, with no need for geo-replication or read access from a secondary region.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may mistakenly think ZRS includes geo-replication because the name sounds comprehensive, or they confuse it with GZRS which does include geo-replication.
✗GRS, because it stores a secondary copy in another region but does not offer zone redundancy in the primary region.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
GRS does not provide zone redundancy in the primary region; it only replicates data to a secondary region. The question requires zone resilience in the primary region, which GRS lacks.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A scenario where the requirement is geo-replication for disaster recovery without needing zone redundancy in the primary region, and read access to the secondary region is not required. For example, a backup storage account that only needs to be restored in another region during a regional outage.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse GRS with RA-GZRS, thinking that GRS also provides a readable secondary copy, but GRS does not allow reading from the secondary unless a failover occurs. They might overlook the zone resilience requirement.
✗LRS, because local replication is enough when the workload already has application-level retries.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
LRS only replicates data within a single data center, providing no zone resilience or geo-replication, which fails to meet the requirement for zone resilience in the primary region and a readable geo-replicated secondary copy.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
LRS would be correct for a question specifying that the storage account is used for non-critical, transient data that can be easily regenerated, and where cost minimization is the primary goal, with no need for high availability or disaster recovery.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may choose LRS because it is the cheapest option, and they might incorrectly assume that application-level retries are sufficient to handle all failures, underestimating the need for zone and geo-resilience as specified in the question.
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 GRS with RA-GZRS, overlooking that GRS lacks zone redundancy in the primary region and does not provide read access to the secondary copy unless explicitly enabled via RA-GRS or RA-GZRS.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
GRS offers geo-replication, but the primary requirement also includes zone resilience. GRS alone does not satisfy both parts of the scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
RA-GZRS uses synchronous replication across three availability zones in the primary region, ensuring data durability even if an entire zone fails. The asynchronous geo-replication to the secondary region uses a separate storage stamp, and the read-access feature exposes a secondary endpoint (e.g., *.secondary.blob.core.windows.net) that can be queried during an outage. Under the hood, the failover is manual and not automatic; you must initiate a storage account failover to promote the secondary to primary if needed.
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.
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: RA-GZRS, because it combines zone redundancy, geo-replication, and read access to the secondary region. — RA-GZRS (Read-Access Geo-Zone-Redundant Storage) is the correct choice because it provides synchronous replication across three Azure availability zones in the primary region for zone resilience, asynchronous geo-replication to a secondary region for disaster recovery, and enables read access to the secondary copy during an outage. This meets all three requirements: zone resiliency, geo-replication, and readable secondary region.
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
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
1 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. A business-critical storage account must survive a zone outage in the primary region and also keep a read-only copy in the paired region for reporting if the primary region becomes unavailable. Which redundancy option should you choose?
medium- A.ZRS because it protects against a single datacenter failure.
- ✓ B.RA-GZRS because it provides zone redundancy and read access to the secondary region.
- C.GZRS because it provides a readable secondary region by default.
- D.RA-GRS because it provides zone redundancy and read access to the secondary region.
Why B: Option B (RA-GZRS) is correct because it combines zone-redundant storage (ZRS) within the primary region, ensuring data survives a zone outage, with read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) to the paired region, providing a readable secondary copy for reporting if the primary region becomes unavailable. This meets both requirements: zone-level fault tolerance and read-only access to the secondary region during a primary outage.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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